At the top of a mountain where thunder roiled in the clouds like eastern dragons, a group of people gathered as usual. They were the top powerhouses of many righteous sects, most of them looking quite gloomy.

The woman at the lead spoke with a cold tone. "Have we still not captured her?"

Another answered with a sneer. "Would we be here if we had?"

Someone else spoke derisively. "Perhaps she was captured long ago. However, being greedy, that person didn’t return the sacred relic."

A woman with a charming dress looked at the woman leading the meeting. "Either way, we wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for her carelessness, right? To think that the disciple she got would end up stealing the most precious treasure of the sect. What a good Master."

"Silence!"

The woman’s eyes flashed with powerful lightning, intimidating the charming woman. Then, she spoke with a stern tone. "That girl is not bad at heart. She even told me that the treasure was something precious to her several times before she did what she did."

"Ha!" One man with bulging muscles spoke sarcastically. "While it is indeed the truth that a master for a day should act like a parent for life, you should not forget that the dogs that bite the hand that feeds them should all be struck down!"

"Either way, this will all end when we capture her and also extract the secrets about the treasure."

During all the thousands of years that the sect held that crown, they were only able to use it passively. The dense lightning elements within it were the foundation for the sect, while the energy constantly surging from it acted as the formation eye that kept the most important defensive array functioning.

Now, though, it seemed that Evelyn managed to not only get the crown but also utilize it, gaining strength at a vertiginous speed. She went from someone that most people in the room could easily suppress and beat, to a foe at their level, if not stronger than them.

The woman at the lead sighed. "The fact that she has not used the crown for evil, only to protect herself, speaks volumes of her character. If she were a ruthless person, she would’ve used her acquired power for evil, something she has not."

Those present couldn’t deny her words, as Evelyn had only retaliated against those who chased her down. If no one bothered her, she would be like the passing clouds. Only when bothered would they awaken the terrifying storm she represented.

Someone entered the room at that moment, speaking loudly. "Thief Evelyn has been spotted in the east together with Young Master Chen Tian. She is attending the tailoring competition of the mysterious master who appeared a few months ago."

A man in the group slapped the round table angrily. "That useless son! Didn’t I tell him not to get involved with her!?"

The charming woman laughed. "Well, it seemed that following him was the correct choice. Somehow, your boy is so smitten that he can know where that slippery eel hides."

The woman at the lead stood up. "Let’s go. We’ll intercept them and surround the city. This time, she can’t leave without an explanation and returning the crown."

***

In the city, Evelyn had finally recovered from Yasenia’s pampering and was now sitting on her own. However, her back was somewhat stiff as she looked back and forth between the two people sitting among them.

Yasenia, holding Angel on her lap and feeding her pastries, leaned back with a cold look. "Chen Tian, right?"

Her voice was not oppressive, but everyone in the room gulped. Chen Tian felt that if he said something wrong, he would be erased before he could process it.

"That’s right, Lady Yasenia. This one is Chen Tian, son of..."

"I don’t care whose son you are." Yasenia interrupted impatiently.

Evelyn coughed and spoke carefully. "That... um. He is not a bad guy, Yasenia."

Yasenia answered with an annoyed tone. "Of course you’ll think that. After all, he wants you as his wife."

Evelyn’s forehead began perspiring, while everyone in the room gave Chen Tian a pitiful look. ’This stubborn guy! Who knew that he was actually serious when I thought he was messing around!? Ugh!’

Evelyn was actually quite fond of Chen Tian as a friend. After all, the man has been nothing but good to her without being annoying. So, if Yasenia were to kill him because of her, she would feel a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

Of course, Yasenia could tell this. That’s why she was so annoyed. If Chen Tian were someone like Princess Tao, she wouldn’t even bother speaking, as a single slap would’ve already exploded his head like a watermelon.

However! Her wife was clearly fond of him, so Yasenia couldn’t touch him. This made her feel stifled in a sense. "Anyway, Chen Tian."

"Y-Yes, Lady Yasenia." Chen Tian answered, his tongue a bit dry. ’Who knew that Evelyn’s wife was so terrifying? Her aura is no joke!’

At first, he had been somewhat intimidated by Yasenia’s beauty. Even when Yasenia was a woman, her attractiveness index was so absurd that even as a man, he felt threatened. He, of course, didn’t know that her threat didn’t only come from her beauty, but from what hid beneath.

"You must give up on your feelings towards Evelyn."

Chen Tian saw Yasenia speak so overbearingly, and after thinking, he smiled wryly. "Lady Yasenia, it’s not that I want to meddle. However, you should know that forgetting whom you love is not that easy."

Everyone paused, looking at Chen Tian with surprise in their eyes. Yasenia, who had expected him to nod, also paused. Her annoyance banished, replaced with a touch of respect. She couldn’t help but give Chen Tian another look.

He was a handsome man, with masculine facial features and a clearly chiseled body. His body was like a sheathed sword, and his eyes were starry and deep. Even as he smiled wryly, there was a sense of majesty in him.

Yasenia admitted that he was truly not bad and that his love was not lust but true liking. Her tone, therefore, softened a touch. "While I don’t know if you’ve answered that way knowingly, whatever. I won’t do anything to you. Still, you must understand one thing."

Chen Tian looked at Yasenia as she spoke. "I am taking Evelyn away. And you, as my love rival, will naturally have no space within my group."

"Take her away, where?"

"Out of this world." Yasenia didn’t hide it. "This Heavenly Layer is too small. We are going to explore the vast Heaven together, go to different locations... things like that."

Chen Tian pondered as he tapped the armrest with his finger. He opened his mouth, looking at Yasenia curiously. "If you are not allowing me to go, are you afraid that—"

"Chen Tian." Yasenia interrupted, her pupils thinning to lines. "Don’t push your luck. I am not killing you, not because I am soft-hearted, but because you are not someone who deserves to die, as your way of courting is a proper one."

Chen Tian felt his heart shudder, and Yasenia continued speaking. "I am confident enough to leave Evelyn and you in the same room for 10 years and know that nothing will happen. However, I am jealous and possessive to the point that I won’t allow even one second of that from happening because I might straight up kill you. Are we clear?"

Lack of confidence? If Yasenia lacked confidence, she wouldn’t have stayed in the Blue Pearl World after reuniting with Tatyana. The second she knew she could leave to find them, she would’ve gone and done that.

However, she knew that the depth of their bond was not so fragile that it would break just because they were a few decades apart. Therefore, she chose to squeeze as much value from Blue Pearl World as possible and strengthen herself so that, when they reunited, she could stomp all the problems plaguing her lovers.

Yasenia saw that Chen Tian finally understood, as that light of rebelliousness in his eyes began fading. She knew he did not give up, after all, when you truly loved someone, giving up was not easy.

However, Yasenia would not be soft-hearted because the other party was pitiful. On the contrary, the more she clung to a hint of hope, the more ruthless she would be. ’And if he doesn’t understand...’

She didn’t finish that thought, but it was more than clear what would happen.

Doriel, the obsidian-eyed assassin maid, manifested by Yasenia’s side and bowed. "Young Miss. We are trapped."

"Hm?" Yasenia blinked, and her Spiritual Sense swept out with unstoppable momentum, covering the city and much farther into the surroundings.

Outside, the several powerhouses that had managed to seal the city suddenly felt a terrifying Spiritual Sense engulf the surroundings. The sensation was of a primordial creature turning its eyes toward them, stiffening those with weaker wills.

’What a terrifying presence!’

Having understood the situation outside, Yasenia hummed and retracted her Spiritual Sense. She waved her hand, projecting images of those outside into the air with her energy. "Evelyn, Dear, do you know any of these people?"

Evelyn blinked and chuckled. "Remember those few that I wanted you to teach a lesson? These are those people."

Yasenia’s curious look quickly turned cold. "Ho~."

Meanwhile, Chen Tian recognized one of the faces among the few Yasenia manifested through energy projection, and his face changed. "L-Lady Yasenia, wait!"

Yasenia frowned, her golden slit eyes moving over. ’Has he still not given up?’ A hint of killing intent bloomed in her heart.

Evelyn was also startled. She finally spoke, her eyes serious. "Chen Tian, stop being stupid. At this rate, not even I will be able to save you."

Of everyone present, Evelyn and the other girls understood deeply how possessive Yasenia was. At first, Yasenia ignored people because she felt it was beneath her. However, as her dragon instinct merged with her personality, that sense of possessiveness had grown tremendously.

Now, Yasenia didn’t ignore those who approached, but instead, completely squashed them.

Chen Tian quickly explained. "No. It’s not about this."

Yasenia’s cold eyes softened a touch. "What’s wrong, then?"

Chen Tian sighed and pointed at a handsome middle-aged man. "That man is my father. Please, I beg Lady Yasenia to be merciful to this group."

"...Reason."

Feeling a chance to convince her, Chen Tian quickly explained. "These people are the heroes of the righteous faction. If they all died, the balanced situation would tilt toward those bloodthirsty Demonic cultists."

Yasenia looked at him, not a single ripple in her eyes. "And?"

That single word stopped Chen Tian’s thoughts for a moment before he looked at Yasenia closely. Her eyes were completely without ripples, as if his words were completely inconsequential. His heart thumped, finally understanding something he seemed to have missed. ’...I see. To Lady Yasenia, everyone she doesn’t recognize is nothing in her eyes.’

He felt a bitter taste spread in his mouth. ’Is this the type of woman Evelyn likes?’

Yasenia, not hearing anything else from him, slowly stood up while holding Angel. "I will see what they are here for first. If they are here to hurt Evelyn... then the Demonic sects will be in luck."

With those words, she stretched one hand toward Evelyn while using her tail to hold Angel. "Let’s go."

Evelyn quickly hugged Yasenia’s arm, and Andrea, Tatyana, Sierra, and the maids followed behind. Chen Tian also followed, hoping to salvage the situation.