"..."

Ruan Tang looked at the seashell, which hadn't slowed down much but was now moving with incredible smoothness, and she suddenly understood.

With a dark expression, she said, "Mr. Xu, aren't you going to explain yourself?"

As she spoke, her hand shot out and pinched Xu Lai's waist. He hissed in pain, "Ouch, ouch, ouch..."

"You bastard! Scaring me on purpose just to take advantage of me, you've gone too far!"

Feeling she hadn't gotten even, Ruan Tang began pinching him with both hands in rapid succession.

Xu Lai had no other choice. He let go of Yiyi, and the two of them tumbled sideways into the deep sea.

Although she could swim, Ruan Tang clung to Xu Lai like an octopus. She had spotted dozens of sharks swimming toward them in the distance and cried out anxiously, "Quick, get back up!"

"Apologize!" Xu Lai said with a stern face.

What the hell? You bully me, and now you want me to apologize... Xu Lai, are you even human?!

But as the sharks drew closer, Ruan Tang could only bite her cherry lips and say resentfully, "I'm... I'm sorry. It was my fault."

"Honey, do you know what I like most about you?"

"Huh?"

"I love watching you get furious but still be unable to do anything to me... Hiss! Stop grabbing, that hurts, ouch, ouch..."

Xu Lai was about to get cheeky again when he sucked in a sharp breath of pain.

Who was it that had seized Xu Lai's destiny?

It was Ruan Tang's merciless, family-line-ending grasp!

This unintentional move by the enraged Ruan Tang ended the battle before it could even begin. Xu Lai was utterly defeated, once again cementing Ruan Tang's fearsome status as the head of the family.

Back on the seashell, Xu Lai was banished to the farthest corner to face the wall and reflect on his misdeeds.

He sighed with a look of helpless resignation. "Beibei, I've always treated you well, haven't I? Why did you betray me? I thought we agreed you'd make it rougher?"

Beibei felt a pang of guilt. He had indeed treated her well. Just helping her avenge the Dragon Race Princess was a debt she would remember for a lifetime, not to mention that he had saved her life. But Ruan Tang was also very good to her, like a real mother. She couldn't just watch her mother get bullied and help the villain, could she?

Unsure how to answer Xu Lai, Beibei decided to pretend she hadn't heard him. She hopped onto Ruan Tang's shoulder, tilted up her adorable little face, and said sweetly, "Do you want to pet the sharks? We can call some whales, too."

"Can we really?" Ruan Tang asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Of course," Beibei said proudly. "I'm the number one swordswoman of the East Sea. Even though we're in foreign waters, most marine creatures will give me some face."

"Then I'll just touch one."

Ruan Tang hesitated for a moment but decided to give it a try. It was a rare opportunity to get so close to marine life.

Xu Lai, meanwhile, shamelessly sidled up to her. "Honey, don't be afraid. I'll be right behind you to protect you."

Ruan Tang shot him a sidelong glance but said nothing. At least she didn't send him back to the corner to "reflect."

Ruan Tang and Yiyi had a wonderful time, but they couldn't play for too long, as they had a flight back to Hua Country that evening.

"We'll come back another time," Ruan Tang said with a smile as she stroked her daughter's head. "Tomorrow is already Tuesday. If you don't go to class, Qian Xiao will be so sad."

Xu Lai had specifically planned this trip for a Saturday and Sunday. As for whether Qian Xiao was sad or not... he couldn't care less!

"Okay," Yiyi nodded obediently.

***

About an hour after Xu Lai's group departed, a furious, thunderous voice echoed from a small island dozens of nautical miles away.

"What? You found Xu Lai? Why didn't you report it sooner!"

CRACK!

A bolt of lightning fell from the sky, instantly killing one of the two Demonic Beasts who had delivered the news. The other trembled, falling to its knees and pressing its forehead to the ground. In a quavering voice, it said, "Reporting to the Thunder God, the message came from the sharks in the area. We went to verify its accuracy first..."

"Useless trash."

The Thunder Beast had a volatile temper. Dark clouds swirled above its head, but it refrained from striking down with a second bolt.

"Mother," Yomotsu Hiraka said, his expression as cold as ice, "we must not let Father's killer escape!"

Because of Xu Lai, his father and dozens of his fellow disciples had perished and gone to the Netherworld. If he failed to avenge this grievance, he would be a disgrace as a son!

"Xu Lai..." the Thunder Beast murmured the name.

Originally, the killer of Orochi was a nameless, faceless entity. But to help her son overcome his inner demons, the Thunder Beast had paid a great price to obtain intelligence from a Demon General in Hua Country's Sea City. She never expected her subordinates to be so incompetent. The man had delivered himself right to their doorstep, yet they had let him get away!

"Where have they gone now?" the Thunder Beast asked her subordinate.

"Reporting to the Thunder God, they've already reached the airport. Their flight is scheduled to take off in half an hour..." the Demonic Beast said cautiously.

Half an hour!?

The Thunder Beast frowned. Even she couldn't cover that distance in time. Am I supposed to just watch them slip away right under my nose?

"Thunder God, the Three-tailed Crane is on standby near the airport..." the Demonic Beast offered in a low voice.

"The Three-tailed Crane?"

A cruel glint flashed in the Thunder Beast's eyes. It was one of her most powerful and psychologically twisted Demonic Beasts, one that delighted in tormenting members of the Human Race. As a result, it had made enemies of many factions in Sakura Country. But one had to consider the master before hitting the dog. Who would dare touch one of the Thunder Beast's own subordinates!?

She said calmly, "Have the Three-tailed Crane make its move. Create an air disaster. The plane must crash into the seas of our Sakura Country. That way... my involvement cannot be criticized."

"Yes."

The Demonic Beast, who had done this sort of thing before, nodded. Filled with relief, it was about to leave the island when the Thunder God added, "Tell the Three-tailed Crane to be careful. That human is very strong. He killed Orochi."

"Understood."

The Demonic Beast departed.

Yomotsu Hiraka's voice was heavy. "Mother, I have a premonition. As soon as I kill Xu Lai with my own hands, I will vanquish my inner demons and ascend to the Demon King Realm on the spot!"

"Good! I will leave him with his last breath for you!"

The Thunder Beast was ecstatic. That wretched Orochi had not died in vain. Trading his life for her son's breakthrough was an incredibly profitable deal.

The mother and son took to the sky, transforming into streaks of light streaking toward the airport.

***

The flight was not delayed.

Xu Lai and his family of three boarded the plane back home. As the sky grew dark, Xu Lai smiled. "Daughter, go ahead and sleep. When you wake up, we'll be home."

"If she falls asleep now, she won't wake up until tomorrow morning," Ruan Tang said helplessly. "You're carrying her home then, Xu Lai!"

"Of course."

Xu Lai nodded with a smile. Only then did Xu Yiyi settle into the seat between her parents and close her eyes.

The plane soon took off. Ruan Tang, by the window, gazed through the sunshade at the glittering lights of Sakura Country and murmured softly, "The night view is so beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you," Xu Lai replied.

Ruan Tang rolled her eyes, almost completely immune to his sweet talk by now.

"I'm going to get some sleep, too," she said, leaning against the window and closing her eyes.

"Okay," Xu Lai nodded.

Half an hour into the flight, the cabin lights dimmed. Suddenly, Xu Lai's eyebrows shot up. He sensed the aura of a Demonic Beast approaching rapidly, and it had already launched an attack with Spiritual Energy!

Xu Lai's figure flickered. No one in the cabin noticed a passenger had disappeared. When he reappeared, he was standing on top of the airplane.

His gaze was icy as he looked toward a giant, winged creature flapping toward them, emanating an intense, murderous intent.

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