Chapter 79
The chamber, once filled with quiet conversation and warmth, now crackled with tension. The scent of poisoned wine lingered in the air, mixing with the faint, burned smell of the withered plant. The young servant trembled, his back pressed against the wooden screen, his face pale as the moon.
"You almost hurt Sister!" Mo Tianze hissed, golden pupils narrowing into razor-thin slits. His tail bristled, his entire body coiled as if ready to pounce. The sheer intensity of his anger caused the atmosphere to tremble, an invisible force pressing down on the room.
Feng Jiao Xue, startled, glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His reaction was uncharacteristic, almost instinctive. But what truly caught her attention was the brief flash of ancient energy that had surged within him before vanishing. She was not familiar with it but... the energy, it was potent.
Her gaze shifted slightly, if she could cultivate him well, train him, he could become...
Feng Jiao Xue stopped that train of thought, despising herself. To use an allie in a common goal, that she can do. To use a stranger for her plans, she can still stomach but, if she raises Mo Tianze to be her weapon... disgust coiled at her core. ’What different would she be with those that have used them?’
Silently, she appologized to Mo Tianze in her heart.
The emperor observed the scene, his expression calm, yet his gaze sharp. Meanwhile, Huang Jin De who was watching inside the ring smirk behind his sleeve, "Not bad, little fox. Looks like this kitten has claws after all’’
Mo Tianze’s aggressive stance was the perfect opportunity.
"How brazen!" A voice suddenly rang out, carrying authority and disbelief. It was none other than a high-ranking noble from the imperial court. "To bare your fangs and claws in the presence of His Majesty? Do you mean to say that a mere demi-beast dares act out before the Son of Heaven?"
Others murmured in agreement, a ripple of discontent spreading among the gathered officials and guests.
"Indeed," another elder chimed in. "What kind of beast dares to behave so wildly? If he cannot control himself, then what guarantee do we have that he will not attack another in the future?"