msmithbooks Chapter 519 - 392: The Stirring Storm
Chapter 519 - 392: The Stirring Storm
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Luna lounged lazily on the Ten Thousand Years Warm Jade Couch, reaching out to tease the Little Golden Dragon, Aurelius Valerius, who had crawled to the edge. Her tone playful: "Seems my title as the Beast God Envoy is quite popular in Aetheria? This Little Princess of the Celestian Clan really has her ear to the ground—we’d barely set foot in the Amethyst Palace when she turned up."
Mael Valerius’s expression was helpless, his voice indifferent: "Ignore her. I barely know her—we’ve only met a handful of times, and I couldn’t tell her from a hole in the ground."
He wasn’t deliberately fooling anyone; he truly didn’t remember.
He’d never been interested in the females of these prestigious clans; naturally, their faces barely registered in his memory.
This remark successfully amused Luna, who was just about to speak.
The female slave who had left earlier hurried in again to report. She said that Princess Willow had heard the Beast God Envoy was weary from the journey and had especially prepared fine Spiritual Tea and snacks, insisting on presenting them herself as a token of respect.
Luna scoffed. Clearly, this one wouldn’t give up until she’d met her in person.
She was genuinely curious to see just what this Little Princess of the Celestian Clan had up her sleeve.
"Let her in, then."
Her gaze swept to the female slave, her voice carelessly detached.
"Luna..."
Mael Valerius frowned, about to say something, but she cut him off. "Relax, I’m not about to let myself get slighted."
He looked at her intently, a mysterious glint flashing in his dark golden eyes before he let out a low chuckle: "If Luna wishes to play, let her play. Take it as a bit of amusement."
As he spoke, he released the arm encircling her slender waist and reclined lazily on the Jade Couch, adopting a posture as if waiting for a good show to unfold.
Luna just smiled and said nothing more.
Very soon, a waft of fragrance floated into the hall.
A young woman in an emerald dress strode gracefully into the Amethyst Palace, surrounded by several female slaves.
She was undeniably beautiful, her bearing noble, with a natural haughtiness in the line of her brows.
However, when her gaze landed on Luna, a flash of jealousy and contempt quickly flickered in her eyes, though she immediately masked it.
"Willow greets the Young Master, and..."—she paused—"the Beast God Envoy."
She performed a delicate curtsey, her voice crisp and pleasant.
All the while, she covertly sized Luna up out of the corner of her eye.
Honestly, there was nothing special about her—just a pretty face. How could someone like that become the Beast God Envoy?
Worse, she’d even dared to overturn a sacrificial tradition passed down for a million years.
Luna keenly caught the envy in Willow’s eyes and curled her lips, "Little Princess, your news certainly travels fast. I’d barely had a sip of tea before you arrived."
Willow’s expression stiffened but she quickly replaced it with a sweet smile: "Envoy, you’re too kind. I’d always admired you since hearing a Beast God Envoy appeared in the Lower Domain. I happened to come to the Dragon Clan today to visit friends, and when I heard you’d arrived, I hurried over to pay my respects."
She’d already found out the Young Master would be back these days and had picked this time deliberately.
Didn’t expect she’d actually catch them.
Later, hearing from her good friend allied with the Dragon Clan that the Amethyst Palace had been given to a Lower Domain female, she was even more put out.
What was the Amethyst Palace?
It was the traditional residence for the main wife of successive Young Masters of the Dragon Clan—a symbol of supreme honor and status.
What right did that Lower Domain female have to live in the Amethyst Palace?
I’m the Little Princess of the Celestian Clan—am I not more qualified than she is?
As for whether Mael Valerius already had two kids, so what?
She didn’t mind being a stepmother in the least.
Once she became mistress of the Amethyst Palace, as for the two brats borne of that wretched woman—they could be tossed into any corner to fend for themselves.
Willow quickly stifled her thoughts and gestured for a female slave behind her to present an ornate box: "This is Cloud Mist Spirit Tea—a rare specialty of our clan, highly beneficial for the health..."
She didn’t finish before the Little Golden Dragon, Aurelius Valerius, suddenly leaped from the Jade Couch and swiped the box over with his tail.
The tea caddy smashed open with a "crack," spilling bright green tea leaves all over the floor.
"Auri."
Luna feigned a scold, but her eyes sparkled with mirth; she wasn’t the least bit angry.
This little fellow certainly knew how to help her out.
Willow’s face turned ugly in an instant. Her carefully prepared gift had been knocked over and smashed—right in front of everyone; it was a direct slap in the face.
And the worst part? The one who did it was the Young Lord of the Dragon Clan—so she couldn’t even say a harsh word.
Her resentment toward Luna only deepened.
It was all because of this Lower Domain female that she was suffering this humiliation.
She forced a smile, more wretched than if she’d cried, "The Young Lord is certainly... lively."
She nearly ground her silver teeth to dust. Lively, my ass—he’s downright infuriating.
The female slaves quickly came to clean up the mess and then retreated as swiftly as they’d come.
Mael Valerius cast a sidelong glance at the retreating slave, flicked his sleeve nonchalantly, "Kids do get rowdy. Little Princess, I hope you understand."
Willow took a deep breath, then abruptly changed the subject: "I heard the Envoy abolished the live sacrifice tradition? There’s been a lot of talk about it among the clans."
Luna stroked the little golden dragon winding itself around her wrist. "Oh? What are they all saying?"
Inside, Willow was pleased—finally getting to the heart of her purpose here.
She hesitated modestly, biting her lip, "Well...it’s not all pleasant talk. Are you sure you want to hear it?"
Luna smiled serenely, "No matter. Go on, Little Princess."
Willow feigned one last moment of reluctance before finally speaking: "Everyone says, by abolishing the live sacrifices, you show disrespect to the Beast God. Some even say you’re abusing your status as the Beast God Envoy to trample on tradition—you don’t know your own limits. The Phoenix Clan is causing the biggest stir over this."
As she recited this, she stole glances at Luna’s reaction, annoyed to find her unmoved.
Quite the stoic, aren’t you? Let’s see how long you can keep that up.
Hearing the Phoenix Clan mentioned, Luna’s eyes glimmered. "Oh? The Phoenix Clan?"
Willow sensed a hook and immediately embellished, "Of course! Some elders from the Phoenix Clan hurled their Jade Cups in anger, saying that Lower Domain woman...ah, well..."
She abruptly covered her mouth, as if she realized she’d overstepped, and shot a quick glance at Mael Valerius. "Anyway, you wouldn’t believe what’s being spread."
"Crack."
The Jade Cup in Mael Valerius’s hand shattered instantly, his dark golden eyes narrowing dangerously.
The Phoenix Clan?
Those old fools dare to gossip about Luna behind her back?
He turned to look at Luna—only to see an odd smirk on her lips.
He immediately caught on.
Soren Phoenix had already returned to the Phoenix Clan with Corbin Crowley and the others.
If anyone actually dared to slander Luna, those six men would have torn the roof off the place by now.
Willow was still prattling, "If you asked me, Envoy, you’d be better off publicly begging the Beast God’s forgiveness at the Ancestral Ceremony, just to quiet the clans..."
"Bang—"
Suddenly, a loud crash cut Willow off mid-sentence.
Mael Valerius slammed his hand into the Jade Table, shattering it, his face dark as a storm. "If Little Princess Willow is so bored, perhaps you should return to your Celestian Clan. The Amethyst Palace of the Dragon Clan is not a place for you to sow discord."
Willow’s face turned as pale as paper. She staggered back a few steps, unable to believe Mael Valerius’s reaction.
She’d never have guessed that Mael Valerius would defend that woman from the Lower Domain like this.
Willow’s lip trembled, "Young Master, I...I was only repeating—"
"Get out."
A golden spark flicked from Mael Valerius’s fingertip, sending Willow tumbling out of the palace door in a most undignified arc, her emerald skirt fluttering wildly.
"Set foot in the Amethyst Palace again and I’ll chop off your Celestian hooves."
From outside came the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, followed by shrill cries and chaos among the slaves.
Then came the wailing, and frantic scurrying about.
Luna burst into laughter, poking at the man’s tense, handsome face. "So fierce? She’s still the Celestian Clan’s Little Princess, after all."
"She brought it on herself."
Mael Valerius flicked his sleeve dismissively, his expression still ice cold.
...
The Phoenix Clan, Pyralia, inside the study of the newly built Phoenix Tree Hall’s side chamber.
Soren Phoenix lounged lazily on a chair, peach-blossom eyes flirtatious, exuding an air of debonair idleness.
He tapped the armrest with slender fingers, listening to the guard’s report on the latest movements among Aetheria’s clans.
"Little Princess Willow visited the Dragon Clan today?"
His peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly. "That filly sure knows when to make her move."
The guard lowered his head, replying respectfully: "Apparently she brought Spiritual Tea specially to ’visit’ Lady Young Master but the Little Golden Dragon, Aurelius Valerius, knocked the tea caddy over, and then she said a bunch of nonsense—so the Young Master threw her out of the Amethyst Palace on the spot."
"Pfft—"
Soren Phoenix choked on his tea, laughing uproariously, "Heh... He really is my cousin’s offspring—damn good job!"
Corbin Crowley, who’d been grooming Kael, looked up: "Trouble over at the Dragon Clan?"
"Trouble?"
Soren Phoenix snorted with disdain, "With Luna and two little dragon brats, and my cousin watching her back? It’s those myopic old fossils who should be worried."
Kian Sterling set down his tea cup with a mild smile. "But Little Princess Willow’s actions certainly serve as a wakeup call."
Everyone turned to him as he continued, "We have to closely monitor each clan’s gossip and stance toward Luna—especially those with ulterior motives. Early vigilance is key."
Rhys Blackwood nodded, "Abolishing the live sacrifice isn’t something that’s over in a day; mixed opinions are only to be expected."
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
"Clan Leader, bad news!"
A Phoenix Clan guard burst in and knelt in haste. "Priest has led a group of elders to kneel at the forbidden ground behind the mountain. They say... They’re petitioning the Ancestral Phoenix to manifest and judge the abolition of the sacrifices!"
Soren Phoenix’s smile vanished, replaced by a chill, "Those geezers really couldn’t hold back any longer."
He sneered, his peach-blossom gaze gone icy, "I wonder who among them dares to touch the seal of the Ancestral Phoenix."
The guard pressed his forehead even lower, continuing: "Priest says...says abolishing the sacrifice will bring destruction to the clan. Unless the Ancestral Phoenix appears in person to permit it, they’ll kneel until death on the forbidden ground."
"Heh..."
Kian Sterling suddenly laughed softly—but coldly. "The Phoenix Clan’s priest, what timing. Soren, you’ve barely brought us back to the clan, and they pull this stunt. Clearly trying to put us in our place."
Zeke Veridian’s emerald gaze drifted over to the newly planted peach grove outside, his tone frosty: "Idiots. The Ancestral Phoenix has been sleeping for millennia. As if they could wake it up just because they wished."
Malachi Arcanus lost his temper, slamming his hand on the table as he leapt to his feet: "What’s there to talk about with those old, moth-eaten birds? I’ll go pluck their feathers right now!"
"Hold it right there!"
Corbin Crowley grabbed him urgently, frowning. "Phoenix Clan internal affairs aren’t for you to meddle in."
Honestly, did the brute ever think before speaking?
Right in front of the peacock, he’d called those old cronies feather-brained birds—wasn’t that calling him one too?