The Sky King heard the sarcastic remarks from these children and strode over with a dragon’s gait and a tiger’s steps, his face clouded with a fury that could nearly drip water, "Silence! If you have the nerve to gossip here, why don’t you have the guts to prove yourselves at the training grounds?"
The Princes and Princesses immediately fell silent like cicadas in winter, but still muttered discontentedly, "Mother, we’re just curious... You’re being too partial to this brother we’ve never met..."
"Partial?" The Sky King let out a cold laugh, his sharp gaze sweeping over the children, filled with a sense of iron not formed into steel, "How dare you speak? You’ve grown up with the best food and clothing under my care, the best resources of the clan have all been provided for you, and what is the result? You can’t even compare to Lu Xiao who grew up outside!"
She grew more furious as she spoke, "Usually sneaky and skiving, and now you have the nerve to speak ill here!"
The Second Prince and the Third Princess bowed their heads in shame, wishing they could find a hole to crawl into.
The Sky King turned to the Eldest Prince, her tone becoming even more severe, "And you, Tian Lin! You’re not much older than Lu Xiao, and you are a pure-blooded Golden Feathered Roc, yet you failed the trial last time. The elders all say your heart is unstable, and you neglect training. It seems I have been too indulgent with you, so from now on, I will personally train you!"
"...Understood, Mother." The Eldest Prince Tian Lin suppressed his discontent and nodded his head, leaving with his younger siblings.
Shen Tang heard their conversation, and her heart tightened suddenly. She turned to ask the Sky King, "Is the Trial Land very dangerous?"
The Sky King laughed heartily, "Relax, nothing serious will happen. The content of the trials varies from person to person, so I don’t know what Xiao’er will encounter, but the trial has only one purpose, to select those with outstanding talent and steadfast will."
"As long as one can pass the Trial Land, they can awaken the power of the Golden Roc."
Seeing Shen Tang still frowning, the Sky King patted her shoulder reassuringly, "Don’t worry at all, that child Xiao’er is so outstanding, there will definitely be no problem!"
As she spoke, she waved her hand outward, "The Great General has already led the troops ready to go, and they will escort you back to support!"
Shen Tang expressed gratitude, "Thank you, Venerable King!"
"Oh my, still calling me so formally, what should you call me?" The Sky King said with a squinty smile.
Shen Tang responded with some embarrassment, "Mother."
"Hahaha!" The Sky King laughed with teeth unveiled, "Having borne a son, now gaining such a capable daughter! This is a worthwhile birth!"
She affectionately pinched Shen Tang’s cheek, "Come, accompany Mother to have a meal!"
Shen Tang was also amused by her.
No matter how leisurely the moment, it was ultimately time to leave.
Considering the delay on the journey, it would take them a week from setting out to getting back.
The Night Glow Empire’s war is tense; after having lunch provided by the Sky King, Shen Tang led the mighty support army and departed.
...
Recently, the Yiyuan Empire’s imperial palace has been far from peaceful.
Since that early morning court session, the palace has suffered several waves of assassination attempts in succession. These assassins are all top elites, clearly aimed at taking the Emperor’s life. Qiu Yang, the leader of the Hidden Guard Army responsible for protection, and his subordinates have been guarding day and night, unable to get a good night’s sleep.
"Damn it, these bastards just won’t quit!" Qiu Yang squatted on the beam, a stalk of grass in his mouth, irritably scratching his head.
"Boss, there’s some movement on the west side!" a subordinate suddenly whispered.
Qiu Yang quickly spat out the grass stalk, leading his men over to confront the threat.
It was another group of well-trained assassins. After several rounds of fighting, Qiu Yang and his team successfully dealt with this group of assassins, though feeling puzzled as to why this batch seemed to be weaker and were taken down so easily.
"Something’s not right..." Qiu Yang’s face changed drastically, "We’ve been tricked! Your Majesty is in danger! Return to the chamber to protect the Emperor!"
Qiu Yang and his group rushed into the chamber, only to be stunned by the scene before them.
A dozen assassins lay sprawled out on the ground, already lifeless.
Crimson blood flowed wantonly across the jade-smooth floor.
The man sat on the bed, clad in a loose dark robe, his figure long and upright, with the lapels slightly open to reveal jade-like skin. His cascade of fiery red hair fell down like a waterfall, with a few strands playfully sliding across his long neck, draping at the faintly visible collarbone.

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