Jiang Zheyu saw the cold, tense expressions on the faces of Yan Luo and Hui, who was at her side.

’Now *that’s* a normal reaction!’ she thought.

’The Little Princess of the Empire’s reaction was just bizarre.’

Jiang Zheyu began to suspect that the Star Thief the Little Princess of the Empire liked might just be a member of the Lonely Wanderer Star Thief Group.

The Lonely Wanderer Star Thief Group had five members.

Gu Sui, Gu Han, Gu Tao, Gu Yao, and Gu Ying.

Jiang Zheyu didn’t know which Star Thief the Little Princess of the Empire fancied. They were all outlaws who didn’t care about their own lives, let alone the lives of others. She couldn’t imagine what the Little Princess saw in those psychopaths.

She planned to ask Xiao Luo about it when she got back to the palace, guessing that Xiao Luo would likely know something.

Meanwhile, over by Yan Luo.

"A Yuan, don’t worry. I’m here with you." Hui put an arm around Yan Luo’s shoulder. "If they dare to come over, I’ll make sure it’s a one-way trip."

Yan Luo’s brow remained furrowed at his words, but she nodded nonetheless.

Hui noticed Jiang Zheyu watching them and shot her a sinister glare before putting his arm around Yan Luo and returning to the Imperial Palace.

Jiang Zheyu was speechless.

"Let’s head back, too," Jiang Zheyu said to Xiao Luo beside her.

"Understood, Princess Zheyu." Xiao Luo nodded.

As Jiang Zheyu started walking inside, the Little Princess of the Empire did as well. Since they were heading in the same direction, Jiang Zheyu naturally found herself glancing over at the Little Princess a few times.

The Little Princess of the Empire’s face showed none of the frenzied madness from the middle of the night. It was now filled with a sweet joy, making her look just like a girl who had fallen deeply in love.

The Little Princess of the Empire seemed to notice Jiang Zheyu looking and turned her head to meet her gaze.

Jiang Zheyu paused, her expression slightly awkward. She had been caught staring and was just about to look away.

But to her surprise, the Little Princess of the Empire walked right over to her.

Jiang Zheyu saw the joyous smile still gracing the other girl’s face and figured she wasn’t coming to cause trouble. ’She can’t be looking for a fight just because I glanced at her, right?’

The Little Princess of the Empire walked up to Jiang Zheyu’s side, falling into step with her. "You’re the female staying in the central palace, right?"

"Mm," Jiang Zheyu responded quietly.

"I know you. Your spiritual power is higher than mine." The Little Princess of the Empire seemed to just be making casual conversation. "But I’m sure the purifications are exhausting, aren’t they?"

Hearing this, Jiang Zheyu felt that the Little Princess of the Empire’s personality was actually quite nice. Her tone was very normal, even gentle. ’So why does she fly into a rage in the middle of the night?’

"It’s fine." In truth, purifying was more than fine for Jiang Zheyu; she didn’t feel tired at all. In fact, the more she purified, the more energized she became.

"You don’t need to say that. It’s tiring, just admit it. No need to be coy." The Little Princess of the Empire gave her a leisurely glance, one filled with aristocratic pride. "But for you to purify so much and still resist going mad is truly impressive. Your spiritual power must be much stronger than mine."

"Going mad?" Jiang Zheyu asked softly.

The Little Princess of the Empire looked at Jiang Zheyu, her gaze suggesting that Jiang Zheyu was playing dumb and asking a question to which she already knew the answer.

"A female can’t purify a Beastman whose spiritual power is vastly superior to her own. That is, if a Beastman’s Beastification Value exceeds the limit of what a female can purify, the female’s own spiritual power becomes contaminated." The Little Princess of the Empire said this in a calm tone, her long lashes drooping slightly. "After being contaminated, it’s only natural to go mad."

’No wonder females need to rest for a few days, or sometimes even longer, after a purification. This must be the reason. They have to cleanse their own contaminated spiritual power before they’re truly rested.’ 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Perhaps because the Little Princess of the Empire’s tone was so normal and gentle, Jiang Zheyu wasn’t as worried that she would suddenly fly into a rage.

"So, is that why you have those fits at night?" Jiang Zheyu boldly asked.

"Sometimes yes, sometimes no," the Little Princess of the Empire replied calmly.

Jiang Zheyu was confused.

’So which is it?’

"Let’s not talk about that." The Little Princess of the Empire suddenly laughed happily. She glanced sideways at Jiang Zheyu, her voice brimming with pleasure as if she were about to share something wonderful. "The man I love is coming for me."

Jiang Zheyu had just been thinking the Little Princess of the Empire was quite normal, but now she was getting the feeling that something was off again.

"Oh, really?" Jiang Zheyu blinked, asking with apparent puzzlement. "And who is this person you love?"

"His name is Gu Sui." As she said the name, a girlish blush crept onto the Little Princess’s face. "He’s an especially gentle person."

Jiang Zheyu was speechless.

’Gu Sui was one of the members of the Lonely Wanderer Star Thief Group.’

"But... he’s a Star Thief," Jiang Zheyu reminded her quietly.

’A Star Thief responsible for spreading so much panic and causing so many dangerous explosions.’

’A little fling is one thing, but she shouldn’t get serious.’

"And he’s a one-of-a-kind Star Thief," the Little Princess of the Empire said, looking utterly love-struck.

Jiang Zheyu was speechless.

"Those Star Thieves are all ruthless outlaws..." Jiang Zheyu reminded her again under her breath.

When the Little Princess of the Empire heard this, her expression turned cold. She glanced at Jiang Zheyu. "You don’t understand."

"What don’t I understand?" Jiang Zheyu asked woodenly.

’I’m really afraid this Little Princess is about to have another fit.’

"He loves me. He’s so, so good to me," the Little Princess of the Empire said, as if determined to make Jiang Zheyu understand. "And I love him so much, too. So, so much. No one loves me the way he does!"

"What about your brother and your Beast Father? And all your Beast Husbands..." Jiang Zheyu asked. "Don’t they love you very much?"

"No, they don’t love me!" The Little Princess’s voice instantly grew cold, laced with viciousness. "They only love this Empire, this interstellar world! They don’t love me at all! Only Gu Sui truly loves me!"

"Don’t get agitated, calm down," Jiang Zheyu said quickly.

The Little Princess of the Empire gave Jiang Zheyu a dark look. "You’ll find out eventually. As a female with unique spiritual power, you’ll be forced to do nothing but endlessly purify, purify, purify for those Beastmen!"

"Are they forcing you to perform purifications?" Jiang Zheyu asked quietly, though in her heart, she didn’t think Jin Yu and the Star Emperor were like that.

"No one can force me," the Little Princess of the Empire stated simply. "I just think it’s pointless to keep purifying all the time. After A Sui showed me a whole new world, I realized I was just a flower trapped in a cage."

Jiang Zheyu was confused.

’Has she been brainwashed by that Star Thief?’