Let me explain, it's not what you think.

Seeing Lu Chen and the others return, the white-robed lion became anxious.

"What the hell are you fighting for! Can't you see everyone's run away?"

It stood in the center of the pride, its white coat stained with several claw marks, its effeminate face contorted with rage.

Taking advantage of the chaos, those lions actually attacked him!

He's a Nascent Soul level demon! Yet a group of demon core level lions attacked him!

If he weren't worried that his retaliation would trigger a reaction from the group of demon lions, causing them to collectively rebel, he would have dealt with them long ago!

"Disgraceful! You've completely disgraced my lion clan!"

"Damn it, brothers, how dare he insult us? Those are Lady Ziyao and Lady Jiangyu! Even if you only gave me one night, I'd be willing to die! And you still dare to make sarcastic remarks!"

"He even let that human inside choose his opponent; he's definitely a traitor!"

"Yeah! Guys, beat him up!"

The pride of lions swarmed forward.

The white-robed lion's Nascent Soul stage cultivation was usually enough to intimidate these Golden Core stage juniors, but at this moment, their eyes were bloodshot, and they didn't care about cultivation level anymore.

And most importantly, this is Ziyao's territory, so he can't kill people at will.

So it could only protect its head and face. Its white robes were torn to shreds by countless sharp claws, and golden blood seeped from its wounds, dripping onto the amethyst ground.

……

The noise outside and inside the hall continued for most of the night.

Zi Yao nestled in Lu Chen's arms, tracing circles on his chest with her fingers, her ear tips still flushed with a lingering pink.

As she listened to the roars, screams, and pleas for mercy that rose and fell outside, a gloating smile curved her lips.

"Serves him right."

Lu Chen glanced down at her but didn't say anything.

Zi Yao drew a few more circles on his chest, then suddenly propped herself up, her long purple hair slipping from her shoulders and falling to the side of Lu Chen's face, tickling him.

She pouted, her purple eyes filled with a hint of coquettish complaint.

"My husband, you're so bad."

Lu Chen raised an eyebrow.

"The pigtails you made me wear."

"I'm so old, it's so embarrassing to wear that girlish hairstyle."

Zi Yao lifted her head from the crook of his neck, her purple eyes veiled with a thin layer of mist.

Lu Chen reached out and touched her hair.

Her long hair was not draped over her shoulders as usual, but was divided into two sections, tied with purple ribbons at her ears, and hung down in front of her chest.

Her hair tips curled up slightly, swaying gently with her movements.

"I think Yao Yao looks good like this."

Zi Yao's body stiffened for a moment, then she buried her face even deeper.

Her ears were so red they looked like they were about to bleed; she was 300 years old.

"Okay, get up." Lu Chen patted her gently.

"Things should be quiet outside now."

Ziyao reluctantly climbed out of his arms, straightened his clothes, and then straightened her own dress.

She looked down at her clothes, then looked up at Lu Chen, hesitated, and finally said nothing, only blushing as she tied his belt.

Seeing this, Lu Chen smiled and shook his head.

They've been married for a long time, yet they're still so shy.

Then he went outside.

Zi Yao sat in front of the dressing table, watching his back.

The lingering feelings from last night surged up again from some corner of my heart, sticky and mushy, like syrup that wouldn't dissolve.

Her eyes were filled with love for Lu Chen.

……

When Lu Chen came outside, the first thing he saw was Jiang Yu standing at the corner of the corridor.

She wasn't wearing her plain white Buddhist robes today; instead, she wore a light blue long skirt with a ribbon tied around her waist, making her waist look slender.

She clasped her hands together in front of her, maintaining the dignified posture characteristic of Buddhist disciples.

But not her face.

Her face turned red.

She dared not look at Lu Chen, staring at her fingers clasped in front of her, her eyelashes trembling incessantly, like a frightened little lion.

Because she seemed to have discovered a new world, a world she couldn't understand at all.

Zi Yao...why are you crying?

She's a renowned war goddess of their lion clan, why is she crying like this?

A faint blush rose to her cheeks, which she couldn't quite suppress.

Lu Chen stopped in front of her, and she looked up into his eyes.

The two looked at each other for a fleeting moment, a very brief instant, before Jiang Yu looked away first.

She's a little afraid of this human at the Golden Core stage now.

For no other reason than that he could make the Goddess of War, Zi Yao, cry, she felt extremely wary of him.

"What's wrong? What are you doing at Ziyao's door?"

"No, it's nothing, I was just passing by today!"

"Um."

"Actually, you can think about what I said yesterday. After all, it's better for both of us," Lu Chen said again.

"He... he still wants to send me away!" That was the only meaning Jiang Yu understood.

"Yes, I had other motives, but am I really that unlikable? What makes me inferior to Ziyao?"

"Although I can't be with this human, I'm still a member of the pride. Why shouldn't he want me?"

(Single quotation marks indicate imagination, double quotation marks indicate dialogue.)

"Those lions... we finished fighting last night. Several were injured, the one in white was beaten the worst, but it wasn't serious, he'll be fine in a few days."

She deliberately didn't answer Lu Chen's question.

Lu Chen nodded.

"So, they haven't chosen anyone yet?"

Jiang Yu shook her head.

"They won't be elected."

"They fought not to see who would go first, but to..."

She didn't continue, and Lu Chen didn't press her for details.

Because the answer is obvious.

Not long after, Zi Yao appeared with pigtails.

For a moment, Jiang Yu was stunned.

"You...this!!"

She couldn't believe that the Lion Clan's female war goddess would actually have such a hairstyle! And... it looked surprisingly good, and it even made her seem more youthful and energetic!

"My husband~ you see, I knew Jiangyu would laugh at me~"

Zi Yao pouted and acted coquettishly, while Lu Chen smiled and pulled her into his arms.