Xie Jianyu's face darkened in an instant.
"Is something wrong with your vision?" he snapped at Zhang Fengxi ruthlessly.
"Go give the pink orchid to one of the omegas."
To Xie Jianyu's dismay, Zhang Fengxi laughed in response.
"This orchid is red. It is not pink anymore. I believe it is more suitable for the bravest alpha who eliminated the man-eating demon from the face of Mount Qilin."
Xie Jianyu's eyelashes fluttered slightly when he heard Zhang Fengxi's words.
"Ridiculous," he said, but he took the red flower anyway.
"Wait a moment," Shi Qingyue protested. "There can only be one Ethereal Beauty! That flower, however dirty, I don't mind taking it!"
Although Liu Wenyuan refrained from voicing his opinion, his eyes were locked on the red flower in Xie Jianyu's hand. He wanted the red flower so badly.
"The Crown Prince can have my vote," Zhang Fengxi yawned. "When I fought the snake, it sprayed my face with its poison. My eyesight is poor."
"..."
What an excuse. Poor or not, he could just decide for either Shi Qingyue or Liu Wenyuan. Liu Wenyuan pressed his lips together in displeasure. Didn't Prince Zhang Fengxi fancy him? Why couldn't he just pick Liu Wenyuan?
"Then I shall choose Liu Wenyuan," Xie Jianyu decided.
The crowd drowned in a cheer. Liu Wenyuan was so happy that he almost fainted. Xie Jianshen, the Mistress of Shuiran Palace came over with a beautiful flower crown and placed it atop Liu Wenyuan's head.
"Congratulations, Wenyuan," he said with a brilliant smile. "You are the Ethereal Beauty of the year."
Shuiran Palace Master walked toward his brother-in-law, the crown prince, and patted him on the shoulder.
"Jianyu, congratulations. Why don't you take the demon head to the Emperor directly? He must be so proud of you."
Xie Jianyu stole a surreptitious glance at Zhang Fengxi before he replied, "Yes, I will."
After the crowd congratulated each other on the success of the run, they all returned to their homes. Zhang Fengxi dragged the gigantic snake to his spiritual tiger. When he heaved the bloody carcass on top of the tiger, it snapped angrily at him.
"Oh, look at me," Zhang Fengxi raised his arms to grant his tiger a look at his messy state. "I am all bloody too. Do you refuse to take me back home?"
"Growl! Roar!"
"Zhang Fengxi."
Zhang Fengxi turned around. He was stunned to see Xie Jianyu behind him. He was accompanied by Xie Jianshen and the Shuiran Palace Master.
"Do you need help?"
Zhang Fengxi laughed nervously. "Don't look down at me, Crown Prince. If I cannot make my own tiger take me back home, I might as well become the next mountain demon."
Xie Jianyu heaved a sigh.
"Brother, Brother-in-law, please go back first. I will help Prince Fengxi before I go back on my own."
Xie Jianshen's eyes wandered between his younger brother and Zhang Fengxi. He clearly disagreed, but before he came up with any objections, his husband already pulled him by his waist and told him, "Muchen is waiting for us. I am sure that Jianyu can handle it well. Why don't we go back first?"
Xie Jianshen reluctantly agreed.
"Um."
After the two people left, Xie Jianyu turned to look at Zhang Fengxi.
He untied a yellow gourd from his belt and unplugged it.
"I will suck the snake into the gourd for easy transportation. Do you agree?"
Zhang Fengxi grinned.
"Just don't suck me in as well."
Xie Jianyu scoffed. "Are you an evil spirit? If yes, then you should also go into the gourd."
Xie Jianyu made a hand seal in the air and murmured an incantation. The snake carcass trembled all over before it flew toward the gourd opening and was sucked inside the gourd belly. Xie Jianyu plugged the gourd and shoved it under Zhang Fengxi's nose.
"Take it."
"Thank you, Crown Prince," Zhang Fengxi then took the gourd and tied it around his waist.
"Let's go back then," Xie Jianyu said. He put two fingers into his mouth and whistled. His heavenly steed trotted over obediently.
With no giant snake carcass to carry, the spiritual tiger was a lot happier. He allowed Zhang Fengxi to climb on his back.
"Go!" Zhang Fengxi gave his tiger a slight kick to prompt him to step off the ground.
Behind him, Xie Jianyu followed.
Zhang Fengxi thought that Xie Jianyu was going to go back to Fuxi Palace, but he was not. He followed Zhang Fengxi to Longjing Palace instead.