"Let's go, or it'll get too late!" Mo Zhi shouted at Mo Jie. Without waiting for an answer, he strode straight to the carriage and yanked the curtain aside.
Inside, Feng Yao was resting with her eyes closed, leaning softly against Lang Huan's shoulder. Her small hand gripped Lang Huan's tightly, as if seeking comfort. The carriage was filled with a quiet, intimate warmth — until Mo Zhi's sudden arrival shattered it in an instant.
The moment he climbed in, Mo Zhi's eyes locked onto Lang Huan, burning with barely hidden anger. Lang Huan met his glare without fear, calmly raising an eyebrow. Her hand clenched slightly, holding back the urge to react.
Feeling the tension, Feng Yao gently brushed her fingers across Lang Huan's palm, silently telling her to stay calm.
Slowly, Feng Yao opened her eyes and met Mo Zhi's bold, disgusting gaze. In her heart, he was no more than a stain on the ground.
Her cold, deadly stare was sharp enough to crush a man's pride. Without even speaking a word, Feng Yao made Mo Zhi feel completely intimidated.
In his heart, Mo Zhi sneered darkly, After I get my hands on you, let's see if you can still act so high and mighty.
He cleared his throat, trying to mask his discomfort, and muttered, "I'm thirsty," reaching for the teapot on the small table.
Before he could touch it, Lang Huan — still holding Feng Yao with one arm — swiftly grabbed the teapot first. Instead of pouring the tea into a cup, she lifted it straight to her mouth and drank while staring coldly at Mo Zhi.
"Is there a problem?" Lang Huan asked casually, her voice full of provocation.
Then, as if by accident, she pretended to choke slightly. Mo Zhi let out a harsh, mocking laugh — but it died in his throat the next moment.
Puff!
Lang Huan suddenly spat the tea straight into his face.
"You—! I'll kill you!" Mo Zhi roared, jumping to his feet, ready to strike.
Before he could move, Mo Jie quickly stepped forward and grabbed him, holding him back.
In the middle of the chaos, Feng Yao's lips curved into a faint smile. She gently rubbed Lang Huan's back and whispered in a low, soothing voice,
"Drink slowly."
Feeling Feng Yao's soft, comforting touch, Lang Huan lowered her head slightly. The fierce anger in her eyes melted away.
Ignoring Mo Zhi's furious shouting, Lang Huan focused only on the woman in her arms — as if the rest of the world had completely disappeared.
---
As night fell, the carriage and the disciples on horseback came to a stop at an abandoned house. They decided to rest there for the night.
Lang Huan and Feng Yao had no idea where they were. It felt like they had traveled far from Luo City. The world around them was silent, with only the soft sound of the wind whispering through the trees.
Holding Feng Yao's hand, Lang Huan quietly led her to the back of the house. There, under the bright moonlight, they found a small old pavilion hidden among the shadows. Its wooden floor was dusty, but still much better than sitting on the cold, bare ground.
Lang Huan looked around carefully. Then, she took off her black outer robe and laid it down on the floor.
"Sit here," she said gently.
Feng Yao looked at her with worry. "Aren't you cold?" she asked softly.
Lang Huan smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine."
They sat together on the robe, close enough to feel each other's warmth.
Hidden not far away, Mo Zhi watched them from behind a broken pillar. His eyes, dark and hungry, never left Feng Yao. This old, empty house was the perfect place — no one would see what he was about to do. In his mind, he was already planning how to get rid of Lang Huan and take the beautiful woman for himself.
Lang Huan felt his gaze — sharp and disgusting, like a thorn under her skin. Her blood boiled with anger. Under the full moon, something wild and dark awoke inside her — a strong thirst for blood. She pulled Feng Yao tightly into her arms.
With a dangerous glint in her eyes, she kissed Feng Yao's ear and whispered,
"I can't stand it anymore. That man... he has bad intentions toward you."
Feng Yao gently touched Lang Huan's face. Their faces were so close, they could feel each other's breath.
"What are you going to do?" Feng Yao asked softly.
"I'll gouge out his eyes and kill him," Lang Huan said without any fear.
Feng Yao's heart tightened with worry. "I don't want you to get hurt," she whispered.
Lang Huan touched Feng Yao's worried face and said calmly, "Don't worry... my body has already fully recovered."
She glanced toward the dark yard, her eyes narrowing.
"Why is Xiao Bai taking so long to come?" she muttered.
Hearing Lang Huan mention Xiao Bai, Feng Yao chuckled softly.
"He's just as lazy as you," she teased, poking Lang Huan's arm. "All he does is eat and sleep. I feed him so much meat every day, I'm afraid he'll get too fat to even move properly."
Lang Huan raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "What? Impossible!" she said, half laughing, half serious.
Feng Yao giggled, her laughter as light as the breeze.
"Better we wait for Qiu Yue instead," she teased. "At least she's reliable."
Lang Huan clicked her tongue and leaned closer, pretending to sulk.
"Xiao Bai will get here before Qiu Yue," she insisted stubbornly.
Feng Yao smiled warmly at her. She reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Lang Huan's ear.
"Fine…We'll wait a little longer for your lazy little friend," she said.
The night air was cool, but the warmth between them was enough to keep the cold away.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed across the yard. Mo Zhi was walking toward the pavilion.
Seeing him come closer, Lang Huan quickly stood up, shielding Feng Yao behind her. She would never let this pervert come near the Eldest Princess.
Mo Zhi moved forward slowly, hiding something behind his back. With a mocking smile, he said in a low voice,
"After you die... your woman will be mine."
His words stabbed into Lang Huan's heart like a knife. Her eyes turned sharp and cold. Without a second thought, she threw a heavy punch at his face, knocking him hard to the ground.
Mo Zhi hit the floor with a painful thud. Furious, he quickly pulled out the sword hidden behind him and pointed it at Lang Huan. But when he looked up, a cold fear gripped his heart.
Something was wrong.
Lang Huan... had recovered!
"This is impossible!" he thought in panic.
Terrified, Mo Zhi scrambled to his feet and ran toward the main hall, shouting frantically:
"Help! Help! That bastard's already recovered!"
Feng Yao quickly grabbed Lang Huan's arm, her voice filled with worry.
"What did he say to you?"
Lang Huan's voice was calm, but it carried a coldness. "Nothing... but I'll kill him for you, Your Highness."
Seeing the fierce protectiveness in Lang Huan's eyes, Feng Yao's heart melted into warmth instead.
She gave her a mischievous smile, tiptoeing and grabbing Lang Huan's collar as she kissed her chin.
As they entered the main hall, Lang Huan firmly held Feng Yao's hand. The atmosphere inside was tense — the air thick with killing intent. Everyone's faces were twisted with anger and fear, ready to attack at any moment.
Mo Zhi's voice rang out again, trying to push them over the edge.
"Kill him! If we don't, we'll be the ones who die!"
Feng Yao's face turned pale. In the past, she had never worried about anyone. But now, she was always afraid that Lang Huan might get hurt.
The hatred in the room was directed at Lang Huan, and her heart pounded wildly. Instinctively, she gripped Lang Huan's sleeve tightly.
Lang Huan gently pushed her back, shielding her. A low, cruel chuckle slipped from her lips, as if mocking them. Slowly, the sound deepened, turning into a sadistic laugh that echoed through the hall, cold and merciless.
Suddenly, a powerful wind howled through the hall. The windows banged open and shut, and the fire from the burning wood piles flickered wildly, casting twisted shadows across the crumbling walls. Outside, the sound of rustling leaves grew louder, whispering like ghostly voices in the night.
Fear spread quickly. Everyone's faces turned white, and cold sweat ran down their foreheads.
Lang Huan tilted her head back and let out a long, chilling howl into the night. As she did, the darkness in her pupils melted away, replaced by a luminous blue glow.
Wolf howls rose in response, echoing through the night as if answering Lang Huan's call.