The ground trembled as Wang Wei sprinted toward the blazing horizon.
When he arrived, the sight before him made his blood run cold.
The Fourth Prince, Shai Ming, was already there.
Shai Ming—a fourth-rank summoner—stood at the forefront with his contracted beast, a Level-Twelve Green Venomous Snake, its massive body coiled protectively around him. Warriors surrounded the area, yet chaos reigned.
A Fire Phoenix hovered above the forest, its wings stretching across the sky like burning clouds. Flames devoured trees, houses, and everything in between. Screams echoed as civilians and weak spirit beasts were trapped within the inferno.
Shai Ming clenched his fists and turned to the man beside him.
"Big Brother," he said urgently, "the situation is out of control. We must stop that beast—now."
ROOOOOAR—!
The sky itself turned crimson, as though the heavens were ablaze. Fire rained endlessly, suffocating hope.
Wang Wei narrowed his eyes.
With a sharp command, his spirit beast answered.
⚡ BOOM—!
A bolt of thunder tore through the fiery barrier in the sky, ripping open a path. For a heartbeat, blue sky reappeared—
Only to be swallowed again by raging flames.
Everyone fought desperately, pushing themselves beyond their limits.
"I can approach it directly," Wang Wei said grimly. "If I strike its core—"
"No!" Shai Ming interrupted sharply.
"Crown Prince, people and animals are still trapped below. If you fight recklessly, they will die."
Silence fell.
Then—a calm, clear voice cut through the chaos.
"If it flies away," Bai Xue said softly, "then it must be lured away from here."
Before anyone could stop her, a white blur flashed forward.
In the blink of an eye, she vanished into the sea of flames.
The two princes stared in shock.
Then, without another word, they turned back—rescuing those trapped in the fire, racing against time.
Ning Mansion — Main Hall
"Third Prince! Third Prince!"
Min Sheng rose instantly.
"What happened?"
"A massive Fire Phoenix has appeared in the western region. The Crown Prince and Fourth Prince are already there!"
"A Phoenix... in Wang Jin Kingdom?"
Min Sheng's pupils shrank.
Impossible...
"Leave."
The messenger fled.
Min Sheng's gaze swept across the hall, cold and sharp.
"None of you know where the princess is," he said icily,
"yet you sit here in comfort."
He scoffed.
"Hah... my brothers are in danger. I'm going."
Suddenly, a hand clutched the corner of his robe.
"Your Highness," Ya Ting said softly, "take me with you. I want to help. Even if I'm weak—I want to stay by your side."
Min Sheng's expression hardened.
He grabbed her arm.
"If you truly wish to help," he said coldly,
"then find Princess Bai Xue."
"That would be far more valuable to me."
Ya Ting's face drained of color. She nodded silently.
Behind her, Concubine Jing Yi collapsed into tears.
"I have failed... I failed as a mother," she cried.
"I promised Sister Huang Ling that I would protect her daughter. But I broke that promise!"
She rushed to Ya Ting and gripped her hands fiercely.
"I raised you to be strong—the pride of the Ning family! I made you a summoner so you could protect your younger sister!"
Hai Rang quickly supported their mother.
"Mother, please calm yourself."
Min Sheng spoke evenly,
"Concubine Jing Yi, the princess will be found. I will send my men to search."
"No," Jing Yi snapped.
"Ya Ting will go. This was her responsibility."
She turned sharply.
"Why are you still standing there?! Go and find my daughter! I want her back!"
Ya Ting burst into tears and ran out.
Min Sheng turned and left the hall without another word.
Ya Ting's Room
The door slammed shut.
CRASH—!
Ya Ting swept everything off the table, porcelain shattering across the floor.
"Why... why now?!" she screamed.
He never cared before.
Why does he care now?
Her nails dug into her palms.
"Is he starting to like her?"
She shook her head violently.
"No... no! He would never love someone like her!"
The door opened.
Jing Yi and Hai Rang entered.
"Mother," Ya Ting cried, "why did you say that in front of the Prince?"
SLAP—!
The sound echoed sharply.
"Stupid girl!" Jing Yi hissed.
"Do you think killing a royal pure-blood princess is easy?! If the Emperor finds out—every one of us will die!"
Hai Rang tried to intervene.
"Mother, Sister didn't act alone—"
"Silence!" Jing Yi snapped.
"You supported her foolishness!"
Ya Ting collapsed to her knees.
"I love the Third Prince," she sobbed.
"Bai Xue was to be his fiancée next month. I couldn't bear it... so I tried to kill her."
Jing Yi's gaze turned icy.
"I told you—the Third Prince belongs to you. His marriage was arranged by his father. His mother and sister favor you."
"I said I would handle Bai Xue myself."
Her eyes darkened.
"But you ruined everything."
She thought briefly.
"From now on, you will not leave this room. One meal a day."
Hai Rang gasped.
"Mother!"
"Enough. You will not visit her either."
Jing Yi continued calmly, terrifyingly so.
"In one month, Ya Ting will go to the Third Prince's mansion—weak, pitiful—to report Bai Xue's death."
"When he sees her state, his heart will soften."
"And until then... I will erase every trace."
Ya Ting and Hai Rang hugged her tightly.
"We love you, Mother."
Jing Yi smiled faintly.
"I love you too."
Her eyes darkened.
"But never act without my permission again."