The little girl saw Princess Lingmeng looking utterly desolate and knew she had spoken out of turn. She wanted to offer comfort but didn't know how, so she froze, feeling quite at a loss.

Silence hung between the three women for a long while. Finally, it was Sun Xiaomei who broke the deadlock, responding to Dugu Yi's question.

"You two also know that ever since a sudden, drastic change in my childhood, my body grew like this, and my appearance became what it is. How could my state of mind ever be settled?" Sun Xiaomei wryly pulled at the corner of her mouth. "I dared not go out, staying home reading books. There were many times I refused to eat for days, wishing to shed the weight, but it was always to no avail. Until... until that year I met my Master."

She let out a long breath. "The strange illness struck me when I was five, and it's been thirteen years now! These thirteen years have allowed me to grow accustomed to it, and to see clearly. I myself don't care much about my appearance; do I judge people based on beauty or ugliness? That’s why I judge people purely by feeling. As for how one looks, what their outward presentation is, or how they behave—those are all secondary!"

"The most important thing is what this person's true nature is! This is something only careful observation can reveal clearly," Sun Xiaomei smiled, but the smile held a hint of sorrow. "Little Sister Yi, this man, Jun Moxie—the difference between him and his usual demeanor. His usual image of a dissolute dandy who acts without restraint is perhaps not a disguise, but merely the expression of his true nature. Though my time with him was brief, only one encounter, I understand this: he never cares what others think; he does as he pleases. That clearly shows he holds the world in contempt!"

"So, I call that arrogance!" Sun Xiaomei gave a faint smile. "Or perhaps one could call it 'wickedness'!"

The little girl wholeheartedly agreed. She listened intently as Sister Xiaomei continued: "But this man, as I see it, has one flaw. For himself, it might not be a flaw, but for those around him... Young Master Jun is crueler to others than anyone else! Therefore, before you are truly certain you have moved him, never give away too much! Otherwise, Little Sister Yi, you might suffer greatly."

Dugu Xiaoyi pursed her small, rosy lips. There was a hint of displeasure in her eyes, but she remained silent. Though she hadn't fully absorbed the words, she knew Sister Xiaomei spoke out of concern, not malice.

Sun Xiaomei, sensing she wouldn't heed the warning, sighed inwardly.

Princess Lingmeng had been walking alongside them as if in a trance, seeming to hear their conversation yet not hearing it at all; her mind was a complete jumble, and she had no idea what she was thinking. After a moment, she realized both sisters had stopped speaking.

"Lingmeng, you seem very unwell; you should return to the palace to rest early," Sun Xiaomei looked at her with worry.

"I don't want to go back! I refuse to go back!" Princess Lingmeng now feared returning to the Imperial Palace the most. She had no idea what attitude or frame of mind she should adopt to face her 'relatives' once she entered that place.

"Sister Lingmeng, since you don't want to return to the palace, why don't we go find Jun Moxie?" Dugu Xiaoyi’s eyes darted, and she offered a suggestion. "That fellow’s house has lots of fun things."

The Little White creature in her arms made a muffled sound, poking out a fluffy little head. Its eyes darted around. This little darling had already reached the Eighth Tier and was highly spiritual. Hearing its mistress suggest going to the 'Good Man's' place, how could it not be excited?

"Very well! I want to see what is so outstanding about this man who has captured Little Yi's heart and whom Sister Xiaomei praises so highly!" Princess Lingmeng forced herself to rally, giving a self-mocking laugh. "I actually can't see what's so great about such a heroic and outstanding figure. Have my eyes been blind these past dozen years?"

Dugu Xiaoyi’s face flushed. She was genuinely annoyed. She could tell this was different from Sister Xiaomei's well-intentioned caution; Princess Lingmeng’s words were full of mockery. She couldn't help retorting, "That's because you've always been biased! You despise him on sight, so how could you notice his good qualities? My eyes, at least, are sharp!"

The two argued all the way, while Sun Xiaomei followed with a smile, watching the two sisters stand their ground, locked in their debate. Then the three of them proceeded at a leisurely pace, accompanied by the six maids trailing behind, heading in the direction of the Jun Residence.

During the back-and-forth sparring with Dugu Xiaoyi, Princess Lingmeng’s mood gradually calmed considerably.

They were not far from the Jun family now, still on a bustling thoroughfare, surrounded by crowds coming and going. Seeing two such stunning beauties walking on foot with their maids attracted many extra glances, giving passersby a feast for the eyes. After all, some people might not see such exquisite beauties even once in their lifetime, yet here were two at once.

Some scholars, with sanctimonious airs, would walk past, glance quickly, and then turn away, only to sneak a furtive look back from a distance without looking back with their heads, their eyes carrying an expression of "I am merely appreciating beauty," while their minds thought, My composure is different from others. I wonder if this beauty will look upon me favorably because of my unique behavior...

Suddenly...

A fierce gale arose, and two shafts of sky-blue light simultaneously shot out from the accompanying towers, striking out from two directions like lightning bolts aimed at the group escorting Princess Lingmeng! Fast and unstoppable.

An enraged, long cry rang out, followed by a figure clad entirely in black, radiating a mesmerizing azure brilliance. The long sword in his hand condensed into a rainbow-like halo of light, vibrant and dazzling, shooting downward with a sense of profound solitude and a willingness to embrace oblivion. He fiercely blocked in front of Princess Lingmeng, one man and one sword, single-handedly holding off an assault from two Heavenly Profound masters of the same level!

The newcomer was none other than Ye Guhan!

With two sharp impacts, all three recoiled simultaneously. The two masked men in black, Heavenly Profound experts, pressed their attack again, the equally dazzling azure light flashing as they fiercely assaulted Ye Guhan.

Ye Guhan let out a cold laugh, showing no panic. His long sword swept out obliquely, scattering a sky full of blue light, every sword strike aimed at a vital point. Fighting two against one, he showed no sign of weakness.

Such an event suddenly unfolding on the street caused the surrounding crowds to cry out in alarm and flee in all directions. In an instant, the entire thoroughfare became deserted.

Just as the three of them were locked in a chaotic melee, another long cry echoed, and three more sky-blue figures swooped in at high speed from three different directions. Their target remained Princess Lingmeng, positioned directly behind Ye Guhan!

Ye Guhan roared out loud, his eyes blazing with a reckless light. He suddenly disengaged and retreated sharply!

The two black-clothed masked men fighting him were in mid-attack. Ye Guhan neither dodged nor blocked, taking a palm strike and a kick head-on. He threw his head back, spitting out a mouthful of blood mid-air, then flipped backward and landed perfectly in front of Princess Lingmeng. His long sword hissed ominously, his hair and beard were disheveled, yet he ceded not an inch!

The three attacks arrived simultaneously!

The previous two attackers, having their initial blow stalled, did not hesitate and swiftly followed Ye Guhan’s retreat, striking like lightning once more. The rage in Ye Guhan’s eyes suddenly vanished, replaced by a deep crimson, and within that crimson, there was a profound stillness, a tranquility!

The sky-blue profound energy covering him grew increasingly dense, and the killing intent of his long sword became sharper and sharper. He moved wildly, coming and going like a maddened tiger, yet his footwork and swordsmanship remained perfectly ordered. With the strength of one man, he was holding off five Heavenly Profound masters!

In the midst of the fierce battle, he managed to seize Princess Lingmeng’s delicate body and forcefully threw her toward the distance, roaring, "Run!"

Princess Lingmeng’s frail body floated through the air, soaring more than ten zhang before finally landing. Her eyes turned red, tears sprang forth, and she choked out, "Uncle Ye..."

Aside from that senior expert, Uncle Ye was perhaps the only one who had truly been kind to her!

Sun Xiaomei’s eyes flickered as she thought rapidly: The target was clearly Princess Lingmeng. Ye Guhan alone might not be able to hold off five Heavenly Profound masters! The immediate priority was to urgently seek reinforcements.

But where would reinforcements come from? The enemy consisted of five Great Heavenly Profound experts; this level of power was already among the very best in the entire Tianxiang Empire. Even the great clans of Tianxiang might not possess such strength!

"Yi, quickly send Little White to call for help!" Sun Xiaomei, being inherently intelligent, finally spotted Little White in Dugu Xiaoyi's arms, its eyes wide with apprehension, and instantly conceived of this idea. Under the current circumstances, neither she nor Dugu Xiaoyi could get away in time to seek help, and they might not even escape successfully. But Little White was different. Though still young and not possessing high strength, its Eighth Tier speed was so immense that even someone in the Divine Profound realm would find it hard to catch, not to mention its small size made it even harder to capture.

Dugu Xiaoyi immediately understood. She pulled Little White from her embrace and, regardless of whether it understood her words, said, "Little White, it’s all up to you! Hurry and tell Father to come save us! Quickly!"

Sun Xiaomei urged, "What are you dawdling for?" Then, with a swift movement, she slashed her own arm. Enduring the sharp pain, she grabbed a strip of cloth from Dugu Xiaoyi’s clothes, tearing it away. She quickly dipped it in the blood from her wound and tied it hastily to Little White’s leg, then flung it out.

Now, as long as the Dugu family saw this piece of bloodstained cloth, they would know Dugu Xiaoyi was in danger and would rush over immediately. Beyond that, there was only waiting.

Little White let out an 'awoo' and shot out like an arrow. One of the five black-clothed masked men grinned cruelly and shouted, "Beast, where do you think you're going!" He reached out to grab it! In his mind, such a young creature couldn't possibly evade his grasp.

Who would have thought...

Little White leaped up angrily, revealing sharp little teeth in its mouth, and bit down hard on the hand of the black-clothed man. Simultaneously, one of its forepaws shot out like lightning. As the paw extended, its sharp claws flashed out, tearing a chunk of flesh right off that man’s arm! Letting out a triumphant 'awoo,' it sprang and scrambled, swiftly vanishing from the sight of everyone present, disappearing in a flash.

The black-clothed masked man let out a miserable howl of pain; this injury truly felt like it pierced his very bones! A Heavenly Profound master had been wounded to this extent by a mere young beast due to carelessness and underestimation...

He did not know that although this was an immature beast, it was an Eighth Tier one!

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