At once every spirit beast's gaze fell upon her. This was the first time the Protector's new bride had spoken at all. The handsome man asked, "Does my lady have something to say?"

"Since this is a wedding, it ought not to lack the bride's own kin. Let him go—he is my kin." Duanmu Yu spoke, and her expression as she did so was perfectly calm. No one could tell what she was actually thinking.

"Her kin?" The handsome man frowned. Of course he had no desire to let Fei Yangnian off so lightly, but since Duanmu Yu had rarely ever opened her mouth—and especially in a setting so public—he could not afford to disregard her too flagrantly if he was to think of the future. He had to say, "Very well. But this kin of yours must first explain how he slipped in here."

The moment these words were out, the river imp in the corner was frightened witless. The instant Fei Yangnian told the truth, it was as good as dead.

"I..." Fei Yangnian's mind went completely blank. Still, he had not lost his wits entirely. Stammering, he said, "I... I was swallowed by a man-eating flower by pure accident... the whole time I was struggling with all my might... afterward, I don't know why... I woke up and somehow found myself here..."

"Somehow found yourself here?" The handsome man smiled with a genial face, then his expression darkened at once. "Utter nonsense! With your meager strength, how could you possibly break free from the coils of a twin-bloom man-eating flower? And even if by some fluke you did escape, you should have landed in the Hundred Herbs Garden, not this inner garden. For your own life's sake, I suggest you give an honest account."

"I... I..." In his desperation Fei Yangnian was just about to give Wei Zhao away. Since he had seen no sign of Wei Zhao here, in his estimation Wei Zhao was either dead or fled—either way it had nothing to do with him. But just then a flash of inspiration struck him. "I truly don't know what happened, only that as I was struggling in a daze, I seemed to see a big white worm, and it even had a pair of wings—ah, no, maybe it had no wings at all... I really can't remember clearly. It may have been a dream born of my daze. Then I woke up and was here. Everything I say is true..."

"The Brain-Eating Worm?" The handsome man had not paid it much mind at first, but at these words his expression turned grave. All other matters he could leave unregarded, but the Brain-Eating Worm—that creature of capricious moods—was the one thing he absolutely could not treat lightly.

Hearing this, the other spirit beasts too showed looks of sudden understanding. No wonder this human had appeared in this place without anyone sensing a thing, slipping even past so many patrol bees—so it was the Brain-Eating Worm's doing. That explained everything.

Apart from the Brain-Eating Worm, no other being could have carried a grown man in past their senses. Because of this preconceived conviction, even the handsome man subconsciously chose to believe it, and could not help muttering, "To dump a grown man in here for no rhyme or reason? What does that creature mean by it—is it a show of force against me?"

"Er... I vaguely recall that worm saying one more thing, I can't remember exactly what, but I think there was something about a... a welcome gift..." Fei Yangnian added cautiously.

"A welcome gift? Hmph—a fine welcome gift indeed!" At this the handsome man's doubts were completely dispelled. He could not have cared less whether Fei Yangnian lived or died, and at once he dropped the matter, ready to proceed to the bridal chamber.

The river imp in the corner breathed a sigh of relief at the sight—it had walked the very edge of life and death. Yet what puzzled it somewhat was this: it was plainly it who had secretly brought Fei Yangnian in, and it had nothing at all to do with the Brain-Eating Worm. From beginning to end it had never seen the Brain-Eating Worm. How had that creature come to be dragged into this for no reason at all?

Little did it know, all of this came from Wei Zhao's voice transmission through his divine sense; Fei Yangnian had merely repeated his words. Had he not invoked that fearsome deity the Brain-Eating Worm, slipping through today would not have been so easy.

The spirit beasts once more clustered around the handsome man and Duanmu Yu, heading for the lavish great tent. But unexpectedly Duanmu Yu stopped again and said, "Before the bridal chamber is raided, I would like a few parting words with my kin. There will be no chance for it afterward. I hope you will grant me this."

"Then... very well. But do not keep me waiting too long." The handsome man was unexpectedly accommodating. Though he had shown a cruel and cold side just now, at least toward Duanmu Yu, his new bride, he was rather decent.

That said, the handsome man at once led the spirit beasts off to keep drinking and reveling, while Duanmu Yu summoned Fei Yangnian, whose legs had gone weak, and continued on toward the lavish great tent.

"The four of you stay outside," Duanmu Yu instructed the four maids who followed her so persistently.

"But..." The four maids exchanged glances.

"But what? From today on, I am your mistress. Do my words not count for anything?" Duanmu Yu said, assuming the airs of a mistress.

"This servant would not dare." The four maids nodded hastily and obeyed. They had all seen with their own eyes how the handsome man favored Duanmu Yu; if they truly offended this new mistress, not one of them could hope to live.

Duanmu Yu at once led Fei Yangnian into the great tent. The interior was lavishly furnished, but Duanmu Yu did not so much as glance at it. Turning to look Fei Yangnian over, she said, "Speak. What is really going on with you?"

"Didn't I just say it all..." Fei Yangnian chuckled.

"Not talking, is that it? Then forget it. I had thought to find a chance to let you escape, but it seems that is unnecessary now." Duanmu Yu spoke with an air of indifference.

"No, no, no! Please, anything but that!" Fei Yangnian grew anxious at once and stammered, "But... but..."

"But what?" Duanmu Yu looked at him.

"But I dare not say..." Fei Yangnian said with a bitter face.

"Dare not say? Why dare you not say?" Duanmu Yu's interest was piqued instead. She had merely felt that Fei Yangnian was behaving oddly, and so on a whim had asked.

Just then Wei Zhao's voice suddenly entered her mind: "Because I am here, he dares not speak."

"Wei Zhao?!" Duanmu Yu was greatly startled. Though she had not had much contact with Wei Zhao, her impression of him was absolutely deep. The instant the voice reached her ear she recognized it. But the question was—where was Wei Zhao?

At this moment, apart from her and Fei Yangnian, there was no third person at all in the lavish great tent. As the senior disciple of the Ye Ling Sect, Duanmu Yu's perception was outstanding among experts of her level. If Wei Zhao truly were here, how could she fail to sense him entirely?

"Indeed, it is I." Wei Zhao's voice entered her mind once more.