What was the source of the disappointment and longing hidden deep within her eyes?
Yet Quentin Hua's nature remained unchanged. Seeing Damien Gray and Morgan Shangguan, his gaze shifted and he smiled suggestively, "Ghost King, you truly have no shortage of romantic fortune!"
Damien Gray couldn't be bothered to respond, directing his people to press on. Quentin Hua, abandoning his flamboyant sedan, darted to the front of Maxwell Jing's horse and grinned mischievously, "Little Max, how about I create an opportunity for you to get close to little Hanhan?"
Maxwell Jing's lips twitched—clearly, Quentin Hua was after his mount. He snorted coldly, offering a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Sorry, but my horse doesn't carry just anyone!" As he spoke, he stroked his steed, which obligingly nudged Quentin Hua away with its nose.
Standing aside, Quentin Hua watched Maxwell Jing pass by, muttering darkly, "Like master, like horse! To think they would treat a handsome gentleman like this!"
He turned to Ethan Gu, starting to sow discord. "Little Hanhan, look—Little Max likes that horse more than you. Aren't you jealous?"
Ethan Gu shot him a glance, ignoring his ploy. As Quentin Hua saw him about to leave, he quickly dropped his playful act and spoke seriously, "Wait, I have something to ask you!"
Ethan Gu glanced at Maxwell Jing ahead, then at the horse, not sparing a single look for Quentin Hua. He replied coolly, "What is it?"
Is he really that unwelcome? Quentin Hua didn't think he was so bad! After silently defending himself, he finally asked, "That little child from the Ghost King's Manor..."
Before he could finish, a sudden commotion erupted among the crowd.
"Crescent Moon, that's the Crescent Moon..."
"It's really the Crescent Moon!"
Quentin Hua looked up, and sure enough, there was a Crescent Moon in the sky. But on the fourteenth night, the moon should never be this curved!
On the night of the Harvest Crescent Prophecy, the moon is supposed to be a crescent. Now that such an anomaly has appeared, it's not impossible for the full moon on the fifteenth to be only half-full. Everyone's excitement was palpable.
Yet Quentin Hua showed little reaction. He had no interest in the treasure at all. Turning to ask Ethan Gu his question, he realized Ethan had already moved ahead. Frowning, Quentin decided to let the matter go for now—he was free, after all, and there was no rush.
Morgan Shangguan gazed at the celestial anomaly, a thoughtful look flickering in her eyes. When such omens appear, it usually means something significant is about to happen. Not always bad, but more often than not, disaster follows.
By the time the group entered Sunmoon Valley, dawn had broken, but the Crescent Moon still hung brightly in the sky. Everyone appeared both excited and anxious, staring up at the moon, waiting for it to become full, afraid to miss a single moment.
The six words of the Harvest Crescent Prophecy had already come true. Next, everyone anticipated the half-crescent full moon.
Prince Ethan kept a low profile in the crowd, making no moves. Having long been controlled by Sophie Qiu, he had finally escaped the palace, but now lacked any real power. He pinned all his hopes on the treasure to restore his status.
Though his composure was better than most, this moment determined his fate, and Prince Ethan was clearly nervous—especially compared to Adrian Yarrow, who seemed much more at ease.
Adrian Yarrow exchanged a few quiet words with Minister Magnus Shangguan, then walked over to the idle Quentin Hua.
Morgan Shangguan frowned and murmured, “Since when did Quentin Hua get involved with Azure Kingdom?”
Damien Gray replied indifferently, “That troublemaker has always been shrouded in mystery.”
Even now, none of them showed any anticipation for the treasure on their faces.
Quentin Hua saw Adrian Yarrow approaching and frowned, a flash of emotion in his eyes. He suddenly stood up, brushed past Adrian, and headed toward Damien Gray. It didn’t look like he was avoiding Adrian Yarrow—more like he had something urgent to say to Damien.
Adrian Yarrow didn’t seem upset by this. Watching Quentin’s retreating figure, he called out softly, “Lotus Sect Master, the Grand Astrologer misses you.”
Quentin Hua paused, let out a cold laugh, and continued forward, clearly unconcerned about the Grand Astrologer.
Morgan Shangguan overheard Adrian Yarrow’s words, raised an eyebrow, and asked Damien Gray, “Since when does Azure Kingdom have a Grand Astrologer?”
Only Silvermoon Kingdom ever had a Grand Astrologer, and the position was always held by someone from the Simon Family.
The Cloud Guild was renowned for its swift information network, yet she’d never received such news. The Ghost Guild’s reach in Azure Kingdom was even deeper, but Damien Gray hadn’t heard about it either.
Damien Gray couldn’t help but frown, his voice low and grave. “It seems Azure Kingdom is about to undergo major changes.” That was his instinct. And it told him the hidden players were involved; his eyes grew cold. What exactly were they planning?
“Damien Gray, I need to speak with you,” Quentin Hua said, entirely serious. When he wasn’t joking, he usually called Damien ‘Ghostmaster’ in a teasing way.
Adrian Yarrow followed Quentin Hua over, giving him a meaningful look. “I heard Lotus Sect Master and the Grand Astrologer are close friends. But now, it seems you and Ghostmaster are even closer.”
Quentin Hua’s gaze turned icy, his dark eyes fixed on Adrian. He spoke each word with chilling clarity: “My affairs don’t need your reminders! Adrian Yarrow, don’t think that just because you’re the Azure Crown Prince, I won’t touch you!” Usually playful, Quentin’s cold expression was more frightening than anyone’s. Adrian Yarrow had no doubt Quentin truly wanted to kill him at that moment.
Quentin Hua curled his lips into a wild, disdainful smile, sizing Adrian up with a soft laugh. “It’s not much of a challenge, but killing a crown prince would count as a small achievement.”
Morgan Shangguan couldn’t help glancing at Damien Gray. Now she understood why he and Quentin Hua had become friends—they were truly birds of a feather.