Gift.
The first time Su Xuan received a gift from Sang Dai, it was a gift from his Dai Dai.
He bent down, looked into her eyes, and met her gaze as he asked, “Sang Dai, what are you giving me?”
Sang Dai patted his head and smiled, her eyes curving with delight. “It’s a secret, but you’ll definitely like it.”
The sword cultivator’s voice was crisp, and the laughter in her eyes was especially vivid. At such a close distance, he could see his own reflection in her dark pupils.
Sang Dai had no idea how much he liked her—Su Xuan wished he could devour her.
He liked her too much.
[Like.]
[Like Dai Dai.]
[Like my Dai Dai.]
Sang Dai sighed softly and casually pinched the ears that had popped out on top of Su Xuan’s head before quickly retracting her hand.
“Lord Beast King, can you take me to see the banquet now?”
Su Xuan straightened up and replied leisurely, “I can.”
The two fluffy ears on his head were still standing upright, and judging by his demeanor, he didn’t seem to have noticed at all. After all, all his attention was on Sang Dai.
“Let’s go.”
This time, the Beast King did not use his spiritual power to teleport but instead led Sang Dai out on foot.
The Beast Palace was vast. Sang Dai had not fully explored it before. During her previous month in the Beast Realm, she had only wandered around the vicinity of the main hall, which also had gardens, pavilions, and terraces. There hadn’t been any need for her to go farther.
This was her first time truly seeing the full grandeur of the Beast Palace.
It was enormous, spacious, and even more beautiful.
Sang Dai had once assumed that the Beast Palace was barren, as the rumors in the immortal realm described it that way. They said the Beast King had a bad temper, loved killing, and hung many skulls in the Beast Palace. The demons of the Beast Realm were all deeply afraid of Su Xuan.
But reality was completely different.
The Beast Palace had no skulls, only countless flowers, plants, and pavilions.
As for Su Xuan, while he did have a fiery temper, he didn’t kill indiscriminately. He wasn’t a bloodthirsty person, nor was he as strange as the rumors in the immortal realm claimed.
Su Xuan also valued talent. Although his words could be cutting, he diligently sought spiritual veins to provide for demon cultivators’ cultivation. Every year, he spent a considerable amount of money establishing academies to help them train. He wasn’t belligerent either. Since his ascension to the throne, he had never initiated a war. While wars frequently erupted in the other three realms, only the Beast Realm remained a peaceful haven.
As the Beast King, Su Xuan was personally responsible for handling disturbances in the Blood Demon Tower of the Beast Realm, even though the tower was traditionally overseen by the stewards of the Beast Palace. This was because the steward, Liu Lixue, disliked the Blood Demon Tower and rarely intervened, leaving Su Xuan to deal with it almost every time unrest occurred.
The demons of the Beast Realm feared Su Xuan, but it was a fear rooted purely in their awe of the strong. More than fear, they respected him deeply and were fiercely loyal to him.
Now, Sang Dai recalled waking up in the Beast Palace two months ago. On that day, due to Cui Shao’s words, Su Xuan had instructed Thirteen to deal with her. However, in truth, he hadn’t intended to kill her—he only wanted her taken away.
But at the time, Sang Dai had also thought Su Xuan was a ruthless person.
“What are you thinking about?”
Noticing the sword cultivator beside him lost in thought, a certain fox finally couldn’t help but ask.
Sang Dai returned to her senses and turned to look at him.
The Beast King’s profile was sharp and strikingly handsome, exuding an unrestrained charm. Truly a nine-tailed fox—he was every bit the embodiment of a seductive spirit.
Sang Dai asked, “Su Xuan, back then, you didn’t really intend to kill Cui Shao, did you?”
Su Xuan froze, taking a moment to realize what she was referring to.
His expression stiffened, and he awkwardly replied, “I merely wanted Thirteen to drag her away. She didn’t do anything wrong, so why would I kill her?”
A hint of amusement surfaced in Sang Dai’s eyes.
Su Xuan added, “Do you think I’m really that ruthless?”
Sang Dai answered honestly, “That’s what the immortal realm says about you. Besides, you used to pick fights with me all the time—I always thought you had a bad temper.”
Who with a good temper would come looking for trouble with her every few days?
Su Xuan choked on her words. “I…”
But Sang Dai heard his aggrieved inner thoughts:
[I wasn’t picking fights—I just missed you and wanted to see you. You always thought I was causing trouble. Even when I brought you a gift, you thought I had ulterior motives.]
Gift.
Sang Dai suddenly remembered the time Su Xuan had brought her a gift.
It was many years ago, during their second meeting. He had brought her a gauze dress. However, the color and style of the dress held a special meaning in the immortal realm: it was used to propose marriage. Sang Dai, thinking Su Xuan was deliberately insulting her, became so angry that she slashed the dress to shreds with her sword.
At that time, they were both still very young—a boy and a girl. Back then, Sang Dai could never have believed that Su Xuan liked her.
If she hadn’t been able to hear Su Xuan’s inner thoughts, she might still have believed his excuse, even after he saved her: “I just see you as a captive.”
That fox really didn’t know how to court a girl.
Sang Dai stopped walking and turned to face Su Xuan. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood you so much in the past.”
As someone who had been raised and taught well by Ying Heng, the sword cultivator was polite and sincere. When she apologized, her bright eyes seemed to twinkle like tiny stars.
Su Xuan lowered his gaze to look at her. The sword cultivator, tilting her head slightly upward, was truly beautiful.
When their eyes met, Su Xuan’s heart melted into a pool of spring water. She could stir his emotions just by standing there.
“…Hmph, your attitude is pretty good. I forgive you,” he said.
But in truth, Sang Dai heard more than that.
[Dai Dai, you never need to apologize to me.]
Sang Dai’s eyelashes curled as she let out a long sigh and turned to walk outside.
Su Xuan caught up to her and asked, “Why the sigh?”
Sang Dai replied, “It’s nothing. I just feel that I’ve truly made many mistakes in the past.”
For example, being blind.
She had trusted people she shouldn’t have trusted and wronged those who genuinely cared for her.
Su Xuan said, “Miss Sang is quite honest.”
Though his voice was cold, almost mocking, Sang Dai knew he would never direct such an emotion toward her.
Su Xuan had always respected her.
And he had always liked her.
They walked all the way to the main gates of the Beast Palace, where many guards still stood.
Everyone in the Beast Palace recognized Sang Dai. When the Beast King had burst into the palace carrying her blood-soaked body in a panic, the scene had left a deep impression on everyone, and they remembered her vividly.
Steward Liu Lixue had stayed in the Beast Palace for an entire month, and the Beast King himself had personally watched over Sang Dai for that month. Everyone knew she was the precious treasure their lord held dear in his heart.
After all, the Beast King frequently bought dresses and luxurious silks, spent vast sums on jewelry of all kinds, and even attended auctions to acquire rare treasures. But there was no mistress of the palace. He would place all those things in a side hall, accumulating an entire roomful over the years. The room required regular cleaning, as if money was no object.
Every year during mating season, the Beast King would retreat to the back mountain alone for a month. He endured the torment of the season without ever taking a wife. Since coming of age, he had weathered every season alone.
Traditionally, after reaching adulthood, each Beast King would marry, and during the mating season, the Beast King and Queen would retreat to their cave dwelling to endure the heightened desires together, setting aside all other duties. It was nearly impossible to endure such a period alone.
Yet Su Xuan, at his age, was still single—not only without little fox cubs but without even a wife. This made him the first of his kind in history, leading many within the royal family to criticize him, suspecting he had some hidden ailment.
Only the people of the Beast Palace knew their lord was unfairly maligned. During mating season, his overwhelming desires had once caused him to lose control of his human form, his spiritual energy bursting out and even collapsing part of the Beast Palace. It was proof enough that he had desires and longed for intimacy.
But despite all this, he had remained abstinent for years, earning him the reputation of a truly “ascetic king.”
Considering his peculiar behavior, everyone had already guessed that the Beast King had a woman he liked.
However, it was unrequited. He hadn’t won her over, and the girl seemed to ignore their lord entirely, even frequently getting into fights with him.
Now, seeing the girl beside the Beast King, it was clear she was exceptionally beautiful. The Beast King had dressed her up exquisitely, and standing together, the two of them were a feast for the eyes.
And the hairpin on her head…
The guards at the gate hurriedly bowed deeply. “Greetings, Your Lordship. Greetings, Madam.”
Sang Dai: “?”
Su Xuan: “Mm, you may rise.”
Sang Dai instinctively tried to explain, “No, you’ve misunderstood.”
But when the guards looked up, their eyes immediately fell on the main hairpin in Sang Dai’s hair.
The hairpin was entirely silver, gleaming as though it emitted light under the sun, with tassels that jingled softly.
That was the Nine-Ring Hairpin, an accessory exclusively worn by successive Beast Queens. It symbolized the status of the Beast Queen, and anyone who encountered someone wearing it was required to treat them with the highest respect, protect them with utmost care, and never show neglect.
The demon guards were ecstatic—their lord, who had remained single for over a hundred years, finally had a wife!
They bowed again with deep reverence, exclaiming, “Greetings, Madam! Please don’t hesitate to give us any instructions!”
Su Xuan couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
The guards noticed and immediately realized this month’s bonuses were practically guaranteed.
This wasn’t just a madam—this was their very own Lady of Fortune!
“Greetings, Madam!” they repeated in unison.
Sang Dai: “…”
The satisfied fox had already strutted off in grand fashion, with absolutely no intention of offering an explanation.
Sang Dai forced a smile and hurried to catch up with Su Xuan.
Hesitating, she asked, “Su Xuan, why didn’t you explain?”
Su Xuan replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “Plenty of people misunderstand me. Do you expect me to personally explain to every single one of them?”
Sang Dai: “…Then why would they misunderstand in the first place?”
Su Xuan glanced at her.
Sang Dai stood her ground, calmly letting him look.
The fox’s gaze quickly swept over her hairpin before settling back on her face.
“Perhaps because you’re living in the Beast Palace. Only the Beast King and Beast Queen are allowed to live here.”
[Because of the Nine-Ring Hairpin, of course. It’s something only a Beast Queen can wear. Everyone in the Beast Realm recognizes it. Seeing the hairpin is akin to seeing the Beast King himself. This way, Dai Dai can move freely in the Beast Realm without anyone daring to harm her. She’ll even have many people secretly protecting her, and I’ll feel at ease.]
Sang Dai: “…”
In an instant, she felt like the hairpin on her head was burning her scalp.
She reached up to touch the hairpin, its dangling tassels swaying slightly and brushing against her hair.
Before she could adjust it, a faint scent of grass and wood reached her. Su Xuan had already stepped in, carefully straightening the tassels and securing the hairpin in place.
Sang Dai muttered softly, “This hairpin…”
Su Xuan replied matter-of-factly, “I picked it up randomly from a roadside vendor. It only cost a few dozen spirit stones—not expensive.”
Sang Dai: “…Really?”
Su Xuan sneered, “What else? Did you think I’d buy something made of gold for Miss Sang?”
[Gold would never suit my Dai Dai—tacky and garish. My Dai Dai should wear pearls! Gemstones! Only the finest hairpins! She should wear clothes worth tens of thousands of spirit stones!]
Sang Dai turned and walked away.
Su Xuan: “?”
What did I do? Why is she upset now?
Sang Dai wasn’t angry. In fact, her face was flushed red, a faint pink hue clearly visible.
The hairpin on her head, the radiant dress she wore, and the gazes of the demons they passed all made her feel slightly out of place.
No one had ever treated her so well before, valuing her so much that the entire Beast Realm was instructed to accord her the highest etiquette. They were afraid of neglecting her in matters of clothing, food, and living arrangements, and equally afraid of her suffering any grievance.
Su Xuan followed a step behind her, and Sang Dai could see his shadow cast onto the ground, enveloping her footsteps.
As they walked along the path, she could hear the lively sounds of the city in the distance.
The Beast Realm was incredibly peaceful—no wars, no rampant evils, no endless sword practice or demon hunts to deal with daily.
Su Xuan was an excellent ruler.
And she really liked the Beast Realm.
Suddenly, the person behind her stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. His scorching palm pressed against her skin, pulling her abruptly out of her thoughts.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Come this way. It’s more lively over here.”
Su Xuan held her wrist and led her toward the main city.
The area was brightly lit, with a thousand glowing lanterns floating on the moat, their light reflected on the river’s surface along with the stars and the moon.
“Miss Sang, do you know how to make river lanterns?”
“River lanterns?”
“Yes.” Su Xuan turned his head to look at her. “How do you celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival in the immortal realm?”
Sang Dai pressed her lips together. “I’m not too sure. When my master was alive, we just had a meal. Afterward… I never celebrated festivals again.”
No matter the festival, she was either out training or practicing her swordsmanship in the back mountains of the Sword Sect.
Su Xuan’s jaw tightened as he gave her a deep, complicated look, his emotions hard to decipher.
He turned away and led her further into the city. “The immortal realm is truly dull. That’s not how Mid-Autumn Festival is meant to be celebrated.”
“In the Beast Realm, we appreciate osmanthus flowers, hang lanterns, release river lanterns, watch the tides, and set off fireworks. It’s much more fun than your immortal realm.”
Sang Dai smiled awkwardly. “It does sound more fun. Are you taking me to celebrate?”
“I’m not taking you to celebrate. I just happened to want to see it myself and brought you along.”
Sang Dai had long grown accustomed to his duplicity.
She humored him. “Yes, yes, so I’ll accompany you to play?”
“Hmm, that works too.”
How gracious of him.
Sang Dai covered her mouth and laughed.
The passing demons quickly recognized the figure walking ahead as their Beast King—his silver hair and the luxurious attire symbolizing his identity unmistakable.
As for the woman he was holding hands with, her dress shimmered with light as she moved, its sheer extravagance revealing it to be a priceless piece.
The hairpin on her head…
It seemed the Beast Realm was about to welcome its Beast Queen.
The demons smiled to themselves but refrained from bowing to the pair. This was Su Xuan’s rule: commoners outside the Beast Palace did not need to bow upon seeing him.