Tianci chuckled and touched his small head embarrassedly.
"Everyone, pick up the Magic Cores on the ground quickly!" Tianci's one blow killed many high-level vipers. All the Qi Artists were drooling over these shiny Magic Cores. They were all eagerly awaiting Huangfu Shenglin's order.
Once the order was issued, the company immediately dispersed with a loud hubbub. They started to pick up the Magic Cores left behind by the vipers.
"This time, the Emperor will be pleased. There are so many Magic Cores here." Huangfu Shenglin remarked quietly. He opened the water bottles and sundries bag on his waist and handed Tianci a sesame seeds cake. It was a sesame seeds cake with spring onions made by the imperial chefs.
Tianci smelt its fragrance and took it happily in his hands. He thanked Huangfu Shenglin, his large eyes welling and blinking with tears. The water in his eyes reflected the excitement of the surrounding Qi Artists.
Huangfu Shenglin felt quite amused. This young fellow was so mature, unlike an ordinary boy.
Soon, the Qi Artists had picked up all the Magic Cores and mounted their horses. They were all feeling high-spirited.
They knew that those venomous creatures would not attack them again. They could depart without any worries.
The shadow cast by the deaths of the 10 Qi Artists were somewhat alleviated by their "joy of success."
The company went back the same way they came.
Sitting behind Tianci, Zongsheng screwed his small eyes and glanced at Huangfu Shenglin at the side.
The company was rapidly leaving the forest and soon reached the boundary.
Tianci was slowly eating the sesame seeds cake, staring at his surrounding environment at the same time.
Zongsheng remembered Tianci's words, the fact that Hua Qiyue owned many divine herbs. Those herbs could be cultivated and their future seemed boundlessly bright.
So he secretly pulled out a dagger from his sleeve and brandished it brutally in his hand. He was attempting to hold Tianci hostage to please Huangfu Shenglin.
Why did Zongsheng want to try this secret move and threaten the boy? The halo from Tianci's body had immediately scared off the snakes. In his heart, the boy was a ridiculous genius.
"Pfft... "
Before Zongsheng's dagger could even touch Tianci's throat, a glimmer of green light had pierced through his arm. Zongsheng gave a hideous shriek. His entire arm had been severed by that glimmer of green light.
The company was stunned immobile by this. The upheaval was too sudden.
Tianci turned around. Before he could see the bloody scene, Huangfu Shenglin had lifted him up and carried him over to his horse.
"Don't look. We have to go. In the future, if anyone dares to defy my order, they will suffer from only one end... death!"
Huangfu Shenglin said in a quiet voice.
Zongsheng stopped himself from uttering agonized groans and plonked down on his knees. He cried, "Thank you for sparing my life, Eleventh Prince!"
The other Qi Artists stared at Zongsheng with sympathetic eyes. He would no longer hold a position in the Eleventh Prince's heart. For a brief moment, no one dared to breathe.
Tianci had been carried over to Huangfu Shenglin's horse. Soon, he was happy again. "Big brother, your horse is so comfortable."
This was the rare Pearl Horse of the Tianyuan Continent. Its back was exceptionally broad and very comfortable to sit on. Its hairs glistened with the warm luster of pearls.
This was why it was called Pearl Horse. A Pearl Horse was like a mountain when stationary and could run like the wind. It was extremely swift.
"Your Highness, this boy is still a commoner. Not right for him to sit with a prince." A pedantic Qi Artist finally remarked in a low voice.
Huangfu Shenglin shook his head indifferently. "He won't be a commoner in the future."
The company heard him and thought better of dissuading the prince. By now, the light had become brighter and brighter, the ancient trees more and more scarce. Another 15 minutes and they would be out of the Magic Beasts Forest.
The Qi Artists all began to sigh with relief. Finally, they had made it out alive. Tianci stared excitedly at the figures approaching hastily from nearby. "Someone's here! Someone's here!"
When that figure stopped, the company focused their eyes and stared. It was a young lady in white, her hair bun a little disarranged and her cheeks slightly flushed. She was perspiring a little on her forehead and panting somewhat.
The man who dashed in soon after her was Prince Nan, Yun Shimo. The company's jaws all almost dropped to the ground!
"Mother!" Tianci saw the person and cried out joyfully.
Hua Qiyue's eyes reddened and she rushed over, embracing Tianci who was jumping off his horse.
Huangfu Shenglin started. It wasn't the first time he saw Hua Qiyue, but for some reason, she was acting like a real person now. She was like a mother seeing a long-lost, beloved son.
Her anxiety, her pleasant surprise, her expression... all these could not be feigned by most people.
"Tianci, are you alright? Are you hurt? Tell Mother quickly!" Hua Qiyue clasped Tianci in her arms nervously. She detected the faint stench of blood from his clothing.
Tianci shook his head. "No. Those evil beasts loved me so much, they even gave me an Evolution Pearl!"
Hua Qiyue immediately froze. She released Tianci and stared at the Evolution Pearl in his hand disbelievingly.
She had heard of this pearl. This pearl contained strong Spiritual Qi. Once you refined it, you could reach the next level of Qi Art quickly.
In other words, an Evolution Pearl was another rare presence like divine herbs.
She checked on Tianci left and right to make sure that he was not injured. Finally, she heaved a sigh of relief.
"Tianci, who brought you here?"
"I don't know. It was a masked person. Then, this big brother brought me out!" Tianci pointed at Huangfu Shenglin by the side.
Hua Qiyue raised her head slightly. Although she knew there was a big company coming out from the forest, she was too anxious and had ignored them completely.
Hua Qiyue found Huangfu Shenglin's face rather familiar, but she could not quite place him.
"Prince Nan, Princess Jinghua, my greetings to you. I am surprised to find both of you here."
Huangfu Shenglin said politely. He did not put on any airs.
Yun Shimo cupped his fists at him quietly. "Eleventh Highness, my greetings to you! Are you here to hunt evil beasts?"
Huangfu Shenglin's heart gave a start. If Prince Nan found out that it was only through Tianci that they had earned so many Magic Cores, he would surely look down on them! Yet only a thick-skinned man could grab so many bargains!
"Yes. Quite unexpectedly, we run into Her Highness's young son," Huangfu Shenglin answered. Tianci was pulling Hua Qiyue's hand with a grin. "Mother, this big brother was very nice to me. He even gave me a sesame seeds cake just now!"
Hua Qiyue looked gratefully at Huangfu Shenglin. "Thank you, Eleventh Highness, for saving my son. I will surely visit your mansion to thank you personally some other day."
Huangfu Shenglin made the Qi Artists return some of the Magic Cores. "No need for thanks. Princess Jinghua, Tianci is an extraordinary genius. We have earned all these Magic Cores thanks to him."
Huangfu Shenglin did not conceal the incident. It was his integrity which had made so many Qi Artists follow him.
Hua Qiyue stared at Tianci with amazement. Yun Shimo walked quietly over and pulled Tianci to him. "Be good. Call Daddy."
Tianci immediately rubbed his small face against Yun Shimo's robe sleeve. "Daddy!"
The Qi Artist were all stunned and froze.
In the Qi Art circle, the vast majority had known Yun Shimo's temperament. Most people could not get close to him. Yet he had allowed a young boy to call him Dad?
The rumor was indeed true. Yun Shimo had really adopted Tianci as his son!
Zongsheng at the side turned completely cold upon hearing this. If he had really hurt Tianci, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Hua Qiyue stared contemptuously at his son and refused the Magic Cores handed to her by Huangfu Shenglin's men. "Since the Eleventh Highness has brought Tianci back to me, I cannot take these Magic Cores. Let them be my gifts of gratitude to you!"
Huangfu Shenglin saw Hua Qiyue keep rejecting him and did not wish to force her. Yun Shimo lifted Tianci and walked in the direction of the capital with the boy in his arms. Only now did Huangfu Xuan arrived, running in and panting.
"Oh, Uncle, what's wrong?"
Huangfu Shenglin was a generation younger than his imperial uncle. Although they were about the same age, Huangfu Shenglin still called Huangfu Xuan "Uncle" as a sign of respect.
Huangfu Xuan paused and glared at Huangfu Shenglin, panting exhaustedly. "Hey, lad, why are you here?"
"Uncle, I was hunting evil beasts," Huangfu Shenglin answered. Hua Qiyue dashed over to Yun Shimo's side, stretching out her hand at Tianci.
"Tianci, you have grown up. Get down and walk. Don't let someone else carry you."
"I am not 'someone else.' I am his father."
"You are just a bogus father!"
"I will become his real father." The man said seriously. His voice wasn't low and had been heard by the others behind.
An eerie silence reigned.
Huangfu Xuan stood there, stunned into immobility. His nephew witnessed his shocked and furious expression...
————
Hua Qiyue brought Tianci back to their mansion. It was already after five.
Since Yun Shimo had accompanied them back, it caused a great commotion in the entire house.
The Old Madame stood before the mansion gate, staring cheerfully at Hua Qiyue and Tianci, with Yun Shimo behind. They looked so much like a family of three.
Hua Liting stood at one side, his attitude most reverent. After all, Prince Nan was of a much higher status than him, a general.
Hua Mengshi lowered her gaze, her eyes brimming with boundless fury. But no one saw it.
"Welcome, Prince Nan, to Hua's Mansion. Our house is most honored!" Although Hua Liting was quite conceited, he seemed extremely insignificant compared with the foremost alchemist in the world, who was even more conceited than he.
"You're too polite, General Hua!" Prince Nan smiled blandly. Then, he walked into the main hall with Hua Liting.
Hua Qiyue was quite unconcerned. She brought Tianci to Cuihua Court. The Old Madame was anxious and yet she could not talk to Hua Qiyue with so many people around watching them.
And so the Old Madame followed Hua Qiyue into Cuihua Court. Hua Qiyue arranged for her maids to bring in supper from the kitchen.
Tianci caressed his belly, neither starving nor full. He sat excitedly by the dinner table, biting a mouthful of the peach Qiuyun had pared. Now that Tianci was safe, sound and home, Qiuyun's heart could finally be at rest, infinitely relieved.
"Qiyue, why aren't you in the hall keeping Prince Nan company? He's here because of you," the Old Madame muttered in a low voice.
Lv Xin and Youshui covered their mouths and tittered. "Yes, Miss, Prince Nan is a rare guest. You have to keep him company or it'll reflect badly on us."
"Why should I keep him company? Grandma, isn't Dad with him? It won't look bad on us."
Hua Qiyue was not concerned.
But all these people stared with her with eyes that said, "Hey, weren't you two on very intimate terms?" It was a strange expression and made her very uneasy.
The Old Madame's face sank. Prince Nan was the new darling of the Changlong Emperor. Although Prince Nan's family had no influence or background, the Prince's Alchemy Art had earned him the Emperor's great admiration. This was rare indeed and yet Hua Qiyue had remained unimpressed.