Internal Cracking and the Golden Immortal Swallow

"But with the princess's temper, there's no way she'll agree to this." Lily Bai said, "If you try to force her, she's definitely going to make a scene!"

"I've already ordered that she's not allowed to leave Drake Abyss," Sean Shaw replied. "If she wants to make trouble, let her! No one is allowed to pay her any attention."

Lily Bai: "But... marriage is supposed to be about mutual consent. Even if we force her to marry, if she's not willing, how are we supposed to explain ourselves to the Nora Clan?"

Sean Shaw: "If she really refuses, I'll just throw her into the Primeval Demon Wilds! She can forget about ever coming out for the rest of her life!"

Lily Bai: "Oh come on! Those single great demons in the Primeval Demon Wilds are like starving wolves, and they have zero concept of human decency! As long as you're female, they'll take turns! She's still your blood sister, you can't be that cruel, right?"

Sean Shaw: "When has she ever treated me as a brother? Since childhood, all she does is insult me! I don't feel a shred of sibling affection for her!"

"Fair enough!" Lily Bai sighed. "Honestly, I think she's already met the Nora Clan chief's son, and he's gorgeous! His cultivation is top-tier for his age, and he's bound to go far! Tons of Saint Maidens want to marry him! With Quinn's rotten temper, the fact that he'd even look at her is her good luck. What's she got to complain about?"

After a pause, Lily Bai added, "Bottom line, she still can't get over Darren Xuan."

Sean Shaw: "Mm."

"Say what you will, she's devoted... but the Divine Empress is ruthless. She knows exactly where her daughter's heart lies, but won't tell her where Darren Xuan is."

Sean Shaw's voice turned cold: "She's always scheming. All she thinks about is how to get rid of me and make Brandon Crown Prince! As for her daughter's little crush—she couldn't care less."

Lily Bai didn't say anything.

Sean Shaw asked her, "Are you sure Darren Xuan and Liam Leshan are behind the assassination attempt on me?"

Lily Bai said, "My divinations have never been wrong! It's definitely related to them, I just can't find where they're hiding."

"You need to work harder on your end too! If we both push, and you manage to find them, then whether Quinn marries or not is up to her!"

Lily Bai: "Mm..."

After that, the two of them started chatting about the kids—just the usual little parenting stuff.

Quinn didn't listen any further; she walked off, deep in thought.

After she left, Lily Bai and Sean Shaw exchanged a look and both raised their eyebrows.

"Do you think she'll be able to dig anything out of the Divine Empress?" Sean Shaw asked.

"I think... something's still missing," Lily Bai said.

"What?"

"A Soulbinder Talisman! Or a Divine Crimson Pill."

"Isn't the Golden Immortal Swallow still living in our palace?" Sean Shaw's eyes sparkled.

But Lily Bai just shook her head. "I've begged it a hundred times already! It won't give me any more!"

"Then just steal a piece! That nest is huge—missing a chunk won't matter, right? It's not like our Celestial Palace has wind or rain. It can't freeze or soak the bird!"

"You think its nest is just a regular nest?" Lily Bai shook her head. "My mom told me, for a Golden Immortal Swallow, the nest is everything—like an alchemy cauldron. Even losing a tiny bit ruins the whole batch of pills! The last time we asked for nest material, that was already its limit. If we take even a little more, it might die! So you'd better not even think about stealing. Anyone who tries, that bird will fight to the death!"