Back in the village, chaos had broken out. Provoked by the village chief and the elders, a large crowd of angry villagers gathered in front of the house where the Eldest Princess was staying.
They shouted furiously. Some even tried to force their way inside—but were quickly stopped. The well-trained shadow guards stepped forward and beat them back without mercy, leaving several of them bruised and groaning on the ground.
"Miss Feng! You must take responsibility!" one man screamed. "Xiao Lan is missing, and now there's no one left for the offering! Do you know what we heard at the altar? A terrifying howl—it shook the entire forest!"
"Bold!" one of the shadow guards barked, hand on the hilt of his sword. "How dare you speak that way to our lady!"
At that moment, the door opened. The crowd went silent.
The Eldest Princess stepped out. A Li quickly placed a seat for her to sit. With a cold snort, Feng Yao looked down at the people and said clearly, "what kind of responsibility are you expecting from me?"
The village chief stepped forward, pretending to be confident. He raised his voice so the whole crowd could hear him.
"We demand compensation! If not, you are not allowed to leave this village!" he declared, puffing out his chest.
Feng Yao leaned back slightly in her chair, unbothered. "Do I look like someone who was planning to leave?" she asked calmly.
Her tone made the villagers shift uncomfortably.
That was when the chief grew more aggressive. He pointed at her and shouted, "You're a heartless woman! You didn't cry for your husband. You only care about his wealth! You probably planned all of this!"
Hearing those ridiculous accusations, Feng Yao didn't even bother to reply. Instead, she gave her shoulder a light pat. A Li stepped forward and began massaging her.
The relaxed gesture—right in the middle of the angry crowd—made the villagers even more furious.
"She's mocking us!" someone screamed. "Kill this evil woman!"
Another voice shouted, "Take her maid! She can be the new offering for the gods!"
"We outnumber them!" another man yelled. "Her guards can't stop all of us!"
The crowd was close to exploding.
Just then, Xiao Lan's mother came running through the mob, her voice desperate. "Don't hurt Miss Feng! If you want someone to punish, take me instead!" she screamed. Some villagers grabbed her harshly and tried to pull her back.
Feng Yao flicked her finger. A hidden blade flew through the air. It pierced the chest of the man who had raised his hand to hurt the woman. He collapsed to the ground without making a sound.
Everything got worse. A group of mountain bandits—secret allies of the village chief—stormed into the village, swords in hand. They roared alongside the angry villagers, turning the crowd into a wild, violent mob.
"Kill the evil woman!" they shouted again and again, their screams filling the night with madness and bloodlust.
A Li turned quickly to the Eldest Princess, her face pale with worry. "Your Highness, please go back inside! It's too dangerous out here!" she begged.
But before anyone could move, deafening howl cut through the chaos. The fierce cry of the white wolf echoed like thunder, silencing the entire crowd.
All eyes turned toward the sky just in time to see a figure descending like a ghost.
Lang Huan landed gracefully in front of Feng Yao, her dark robes flying in the wind, her sword glinting under the moonlight.
Feng Yao's lips curled slightly, her eyes gleaming with a trace of admiration. She looked completely mesmerized. She stepped forward and threw herself into Lang Huan's arms, resting her head against her chest.
"Husband," she said in a coquettish tone, "they called me evil… they wanted to kill me. I was so scared."
Her body remained relaxed in Lang Huan's embrace. As long as Lang Huan was here—she had nothing to fear.
Lang Huan wrapped one arm protectively around Feng Yao's waist and looked at the crowd. Her presence sent a chill through everyone.
"Don't be afraid," she said gently to her wife, but her voice carried a sharp warning for anyone listening.
The village chief stepped forward and pointed an accusing finger. "Scared?! She didn't even blink when we threatened her! She's a cold-hearted woman, pretending to be weak now that her husband's here. She's vicious!"
Lang Huan raised an eyebrow. A wicked smile spread across her face. She slowly licked her bottom lip like a hungry predator about to strike.
"You dared raise your voice at my wife," she said calmly. "I haven't punished you yet for what you did to me."
She took a step forward. Her voice dropped, full of threat.
"Let's find out which one of us is scarier—your so-called mountain god, or me."
Lang Huan's fury broke through her calm like a wave. The air shifted. The trees shook. The wind roared, spinning leaves into a storm. The ground trembled underfoot. Her once-dark eyes turned into a glowing, piercing blue. Power burst from her body, crashing over the crowd.
Everyone stepped back in terror.
Feng Yao stared at her, eyes full of love, completely drawn in by the storm Lang Huan had become.
She stood on her toes and lightly pressed her lips to Lang Huan's chin through the veil. Her gaze was full of deep affection.
A Li, watching nearby, let out a small sigh.
The princess was ruthless—no wonder she fell for the young master. Lang Huan looked like a wild little monster. Honestly, the two of them were made for each other. A perfect match… a dangerous couple sent straight from heaven.
Around them, villagers froze in fear, some trembling, some backing away. "M-monster…" one whispered. "Monster!" another screamed.
"You call that serpent a god," she growled, her voice low and angry. "But you call me a monster?!"
She laughed. "Fine. Let me show you what a real monster looks like."
From atop Xiao Bai, even Qiu Yue and Xiao Lan were shaken. Xiao Lan instinctively clutched Qiu Yue from behind, burying her face into her shoulder. Leaves scattered. Dust swirled. A sudden, unnatural pressure filled the air like a divine punishment had descended upon them.
Qiu Yue narrowed her eyes and murmured, "Is Lang Huan the blue-eyed beast who killed the army in Shang Yue Forest? Does Her Highness already know?"
Then came a loud, sharp hissing sound, followed by the scraping of something massive moving across the ground.
From between the trees, a terrifying creature appeared—a giant serpent with eight heads, each one swaying and glowing with dangerous red eyes. The sheer size and weight of it made the ground tremble.
Qiu Yue's eyes widened in horror. She tugged hard on Xiao Bai's reins, guiding the white wolf to move out of the way before the serpent got too close.
It seemed the energy burst from Lang Huan had attracted the terrifying creature. She narrowed her eyes at the giant serpent "Finally, you've come,"
She gently pushed Feng Yao toward A Li for safety.
Feng Yao didn't want to let go. Her fingers clung tightly to Lang Huan's sleeve, unwilling to be separated. "Can you really defeat that thing?" her voice filled with worry.
Lang Huan turned and lightly pinched Feng Yao's chin, flashing a playful smile. "What if I can?" she whispered, her eyes glowing with mischief. "Will you give me a reward?"
Feng Yao frowned, clearly not expecting her to joke at a time like this. "What kind of reward?" she asked, annoyed but still holding on to her sleeve.
Lang Huan leaned in closer until her lips brushed her ear, then gave it a slow lick. "How about… you reward me with your body?" she purred.
Feng Yao's face immediately turned cold and serious. Her hand twitching like she wanted to slap Lang Huan right there. "You're getting bolder," she muttered.
Lang Huan just laughed, delighted by Feng Yao's reaction. Then, she turned and leapt into the air—straight toward the serpent.
She faced the giant creature without fear. "Come here," she said. "I'm your opponent."
Lang Huan pulled out a dagger and threw it with perfect aim. It struck one of the serpent's heads, making the beast roar in fury. It hissed loudly and lunged at her, all eight heads writhing with rage.
She smirked, then turned and ran—luring the serpent away from the village and into the forest. Her goal was to keep its attention on her and protect everyone else.
Meanwhile, Qiu Yue led the charge against the mountain bandits. "Hold on tight," she said to Xiao Lan, who clung to her from behind.
"Kill them all! They're not real villagers—they're bandits in disguise!" Qiu Yue's sharp eyes had already recognized the faces of the men who had attacked her before.
Even though her leg was injured, Qiu Yue moved with Xiao Bai's help—cutting down the bandits one by one while riding on his back. The massive white wolf leapt, bit, and dodged attacks as he carried Qiu Yue and Xiao Lan.
The sight of the beast was enough for a few men to drop their weapons. But Qiu Yue didn't give them a chance to escape. "Attack!" she shouted, raising her sword high. With a mighty leap, Xiao Bai launched into the air, and Qiu Yue's blade slashed down. The ground trembled as he landed heavily, scattering the enemies.
Xiao Lan squeezed her arms tighter around Qiu Yue's waist and shut her eyes.
As the fight grew more intense, the villagers panicked. One by one, they ran back into their houses, slamming their doors shut. None of them dared to help or even watch. They only cared about saving themselves.
A Li pulled Feng Yao into the house. "Your Highness, please stay safe," one of them said firmly. Feng Yao didn't argue. She stepped inside and stood quietly by the window, watching the chaos outside—the glint of steel, the roar of Xiao Bai, and Lang Huan's figure vanishing into the forest with the serpent.
The shadow guards moved in perfect formation. Within minutes, the clearing was filled with the sounds of steel clashing and men screaming. Some of the bandits tried to run, but the shadow guards were faster.
One after another, the bandits were taken down—some killed instantly, others beaten, tied up, and thrown aside to be questioned later.
Qiu Yue wiped blood from her cheek with the back of her hand, her eyes cold. "Make sure none of them escape," she ordered.
Not far away, the village chief was hiding behind a broken cart, his body shaking. Fear filled his heart—but so did anger. He had never expected these guests to be this powerful. His plan had completely failed.
Now, all he could do was hide and curse them.
"Xiao Lan… this is all her fault," he muttered bitterly. "That stupid girl… Hmph. Just wait. I'll make you pay for this."