Chapter 1320: Heartbreaking Words

Ma Tian gave the token a look, then quickly bowed and said, “So it was the crown prince’s Golden Crow Token. Sir Heichi, please!”

Zu An had gotten the token from the grandmaster who showed up to protect the Golden Crow Crown Prince after Zu An won, as an invitation to the Fiend King Court. Of course, the grandmaster might not have had good intentions. It was most likely intended to allow the Golden Crow Crown Prince to wash away his earlier shame after Zu An came to the court.

However, they could never have expected Zu An to use it to enter the imperial palace!

Zu An had already noticed that the Golden Crow token Yu Yanluo used and the one he had were different. Later, he had learned that the one that she had was the Golden Crow Token that the Fiend Emperor issued to bring the clan leaders to the Fiend King Court, but apart from that, it didn’t have much use. On the contrary, the token Zu An had was the Golden Crow Crown Prince’s, which was much more useful.

Zu An sighed in relief. Looks like my luck isn’t bad.

He returned Ma Tian’s greeting, while also politely refusing the offer to help him deliver the message to the crown prince. Ma Tian didn’t press the issue; as the head of palace security, he had a guard bring Zu An over instead.

Zu An secretly examined his surroundings along the way. He noticed that the fiend races’ imperial palace was actually quite different from the human race’s. Along the way, he saw many fountains and all sorts of sculptures. Almost all of them were depictions of the fiend races’ different species, as if the statues were for the purpose of winning over the hearts of those races.

Zu An had no intention to just appreciate the scenery, though. He quickly used the jade badge, engraving the surrounding map into his mind. He had never been inside before, so if he had to flee in the future, he would only have a good chance if he familiarized himself with the layout.

Meanwhile, he found a chance to ask, “By the way, I heard that Princess Snow entered the palace; is that right?”

“That’s right. Princess Snow really is pretty, and she is very friendly. She even gave us a smile when she entered through the palace gates this morning,” the guard answered with a foolish smile, seemingly still immersed in a beautiful memory from that morning.

Zu An was speechless. Friendly? He really couldn't associate that sharp-tongued young lady with such a description. Ever since he had arrived in the fiend race territory, however, according to the intelligence he had obtained, Snow’s reputation among the people was quite high.

My Snow, you absolutely can’t let some old freak possess you!

“I heard that she hadn’t left the palace yet, though?” Zu An pretended to ask carelessly.

“Right! It seems as if the crown princess candidate is going to be decided today,” the guard said with an envious expression, seemingly wishing he were the crown prince.

Zu An was furious, but he didn’t dare to show it on the surface. He replied, “Oh? That makes sense, I guess. If she stays the night in the imperial palace, even if nothing happens, the outside world will believe that she’s the royal family’s woman.”

“Exactly!” the guard replied. “Earlier, after Princess Snow paid her respects to the Fiend Emperor, the palace’s imperial concubines held her back to chat with her for a while. Later, the crown prince looked for a way to keep her… Heh, the raw rice is going to be fully cooked soon!”

…

Meanwhile, in a remote palace room, a flower vase shattered. A delicate and exquisite figure staggered around, trying to avoid something. She had knocked over the vase while trying to get out of the way. She tried to open the door in her confusion. However, light flickered across it, pushing her away.

The young lady was dressed in an emerald green dress that gave off a sense of brimming natural vitality at a mere glance. Her hair was arranged into many meticulous braids, adorned with an assortment of gorgeous ornaments. Under the illumination of the room’s candlelight, they truly looked bright and dazzling.

Not too far away, a well-dressed man slowly walked over. When he saw the young lady’s beauty and her unmatched, goddess-like daintiness, he began breathing heavily. He said, “Princess Snow, this residence is special. You cannot leave unless I let you.”

The man was, of course, the Golden Crow Crown Prince. Meanwhile, the goddess-like woman was the Elf race’s princess, Qiao Xueying.

At that moment, Qiao Xueying’s snow-white skin was already covered in an unnatural blush. She said hatefully, “You told me that there was some progress regarding my father’s situation and called me over to discuss that, but it was actually just to drug me!”

The Golden Crow Crown Prince wasn’t in a rush to close in. Either way, the woman before him was already a thoroughly prepared meal that couldn't fly away. He was more interested in slowly subduing both her body and mind.

“There really is progress, though. As long as you obediently marry me and become the crown princess, your father will become the country’s father. How could someone like that be locked up in prison?” he replied. He only felt a greater desire to conquer the woman when he saw her panicked and shy expression.

Hmph, that slut Kong Nanwu actually ran away! Thankfully, Princess Snow is just as beautiful. I’m going to subdue Princess Snow first, then seize Kong Nanwu for my harem after. You’re my woman no matter where you run off to!

Qiao Xueying exclaimed with a mix of nervousness and fury, “You are the respected fiend race crown prince, and yet you actually did something as shameful as this!”

“Passionate love between a man and a woman has always been natural to begin with. How can that be considered shameful?” the Golden Crow Crown Prince replied, seemingly disagreeing. “Let alone the fact that both of our parents have already consented to the marriage. Everyone in the fiend race territory already views you as the crown princess. Is it not to be expected for a married couple to become a bit more intimate?”

Qiao Xueying spat furiously, “I didn’t agree to it! If they agree, why don’t you marry them?!”

The Golden Crow Crown Prince harrumphed. “Do you know how many women in this world want to marry this crown prince? Why do you keep acting as if you don’t know what’s good for you?”

“Then isn’t that perfect? Just go and marry all those girls who want to be with you!” Qiao Xueying cried. She was really starting to be flustered..

“This crown prince doesn’t have any interest in them; I like you,” the Golden Crow Crown Prince said, carefully admiring the young lady before him. He found her more beautiful the more he looked at her. She wasn’t even inferior to the Medusa Queen and those other women he had met in the Snake race’s territory before…

His expression stiffened when he thought of that. Pah pah pah! Why am I thinking about that day again? Damn it!

Qiao Xueying asked somewhat helplessly, “Just what part of me do you like? Can’t I just change that part?”

The Golden Crow Crown Prince said with a scowl, “My patience has a limit.”

Qiao Xueying bit her thin lip. She could only change the topic to stall for time, even though she didn’t know what meaning there would be to do that. She asked, “Just how did you poison me? I was clearly extremely careful earlier.”

She was no fool, after all. There was no way she would be completely unguarded if the Golden Crow Crown Prince sought her out. Ever since she had arrived, she hadn’t eaten a single thing, nor had she drunk a sip of water. How could she have expected she would still be drugged?

The Golden Crow Crown Prince obviously knew that she was stalling for time, but he didn’t care. After all, he had abundant time; he had all night to slowly play with her. The longer they delayed, the greater the medicine’s effects would be, too. At that point, the woman would feel extremely hot inside.

A strange and fanatical smile appeared on the Golden Crow Crown Prince’s face when he thought of that. He said, “Indeed, you were quite guarded. However, you can choose not to eat or drink, but you must breathe, no?”

Qiao Xueying was shocked. Her gaze moved to the calmly burning candle flame and she asked, “Your poison was from a candle?”

“Princess Snow is sharp. As expected of the woman I have chosen,” the Golden Crow Crown Prince said.

When he saw the blush on her skin, he felt that her naturally quiet and exquisite beauty was being emphasized with a hint of charming seduction. He began breathing heavily, feeling as if he were already struggling to hold back.

Qiao Xueying really panicked when she saw the crown prince approach step by step. However, her cultivation wasn’t a match for the Golden Crow Crown Prince, and she had been drugged. This was his territory, no less. There really was nothing she could do!

However, she suddenly recalled a rumor regarding the Golden Crow Crown Prince and quickly asked, “Didn’t you always ask why I didn’t want to marry you?”

Sure enough, the Golden Crow Crown Prince was distracted when he heard that, replying, “Why?”

“Because I already have someone I like,” Qiao Xueying replied. Zu An appeared in her mind, and she felt aggrieved inside. It looks as if the two of us were destined to meet, but not fated to be together in this life.

The Golden Crow Crown Prince frowned. However, when he looked at Qiao Xueying’s fair and alluring appearance in the candlelight, he suppressed the displeasure within him and said, “It doesn’t matter. A woman as beautiful as you would naturally have many pursuers. However, you will only belong to this crown prince alone.”

If it were any other woman, he would already believe that her thoughts were unclean. Considering Princess Snow’s appearance and status, however, it was enough for him to make an exception.

A strange expression appeared on Qiao Xueying’s face as she replied, “Did you mishear what I said? I said I already have a man. The two of us have already joined together in perfect harmony…” In order to completely make him give up, she added more frankly, “My body is already completely his shape. Don’t tell me you don’t mind that?”

“What?!” The Golden Crow Crown Prince felt as if he had heard a thunderbolt strike. His entire body immediately froze in place.