Morgan Shangguan studied the poisonous plants around them. Though they seemed to grow chaotically, there was a hidden order—a vast and intricate magical array. With a touch of special energy, the formation would activate, rendering it impassable to ordinary people. But its master had died long ago, and the energy within had dissipated, leaving only minor arrays behind. Otherwise, with four people barging in like this, even if Liam Duanmu was a master of formations, they would have perished inside!
Except for Mona Shangguan, the others possessed strong inner strength. The narrow path was rugged but not impossible to traverse. Mona, however, struggled—if not for Adrian Yarrow’s support, her stumbling steps would have left her battered and bruised.
Maxwell Jing glanced at his own princess consort, then at Mona Shangguan. Weren’t they twins? How could they be so different? Morgan Shangguan strolled as if through a garden, her hand in Damien Gray’s, smiling serenely, while Mona was as disheveled as could be. Though their faces were identical, the contrast was stark. If only those who hailed Mona as the Azure Kingdom’s greatest beauty, ignoring Morgan, could see now how blind they truly were!
Noah Duanmu had never been curious about the sisters’ appearance. Their temperaments were so distinct that he’d immediately known who was who when they met on the cliff. Now, knowing Morgan Shangguan’s identity, he naturally understood Mona’s as well. Still, he couldn’t fathom how these two could be sisters—their personalities seemed worlds apart!
By the time they emerged from the bottom of the cliff, dawn was breaking. The cliff lay on the outskirts of the capital, but the path they’d taken led them away from the city. Now, they were some distance from the capital and quite close to Jadecrest City. The group decided to head there.
Jade Dragon Manor was just outside Jadecrest City. Once they passed through the city, they would reach the manor, and both the Azure Kingdom and Jade Dragon Manor lay in the same direction.
Currently, Silvermoon Kingdom was under Sophie Qiu’s rule, but she had to obey Damien Gray’s orders. Damien intended to let Adrian Yarrow return to his homeland, and Sophie could only regretfully let him go. Thus, Adrian and Mona Shangguan were not wanted fugitives.
When they arrived at Jadecrest City, the city gates had just opened.
Though they were within Silvermoon Kingdom’s borders and not wanted, Adrian Yarrow remained uneasy. He longed to return home, so he didn’t linger, urging Mona Shangguan onward.
The rest of the group wasn’t in such a rush. The wedding at Jade Dragon Manor was approaching, but they were already close. They could afford to rest a day before continuing. Liam and Noah Duanmu, however, were unaware of Damien Gray and Morgan Shangguan’s secret identities, so they didn’t know the couple also intended to go to the manor.
The group found a nearby inn, planning to rest before parting ways.
Ethan Gu strode inside and pulled out a silver ingot, calling out, "Waiter, five top rooms!"
Maxwell Jing quickly interjected, "Bring us a table of food and wine first!"
The group's striking looks and refined bearing were rare sights. The waiter, used to dealing with all kinds of travelers, nearly stared in awe. Noticing their generosity, he instantly recognized them as people of high status and hurried to greet them with a smile. "Honored guests, I can have food and wine prepared at once, but our inn doesn't have five top rooms available!"
Noah Duanmu raised an eyebrow. "How many do you have, then?"
The waiter held up four fingers. "If you're not in a hurry, more rooms should be available soon when other guests check out. But if you need to rest right away, I'm afraid that's all I can offer!" Judging by the travel-worn look of the group, he guessed they were eager for rest.
Morgan Shangguan had managed a brief nap, but the struggle against that power had drained her. Damien Gray, worried for her, had used up his own inner strength and was weary as well. The others were even more exhausted—their search for the path down the cliff had pushed them to their limits, and once they'd found everyone, there'd been no time to rest. Even with their skills, fatigue was unavoidable.
Jade Dragon Manor was hosting guests from both sides of the law, so the inn was bustling. The group was too tired to look for another inn, and other places might have even fewer rooms left.
Noah Duanmu shook his head. "Four rooms will do. Just bring the food and wine!"
"Right away! Please have a seat, honored guests—your meal will be out in no time!"
As the group settled around the table, Noah Duanmu suddenly said, "Maxwell Jing, you’ll be sharing a room with me tonight!"
Maxwell Jing had just taken a sip of tea. At Noah’s words, he spat it out—right onto Noah’s face. Noah wiped his face, scowling, and roared, "What’s wrong with sharing a room? Why are you so worked up?"
Suddenly seeming to realize something, Noah Duanmu narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Maxwell Jing, making Maxwell’s scalp tingle. Then Noah blurted, "Don’t tell me you’re a woman disguised as a man?" As he spoke, he lunged for Maxwell’s chest.
Maxwell Jing dodged, the vein in his temple throbbing. He looked at Liam Duanmu and said, "Chief, are you really brothers with this lunatic?"
Noah Duanmu snorted, "Who’s a lunatic? I just wanted to confirm your gender! You’re the one making a fuss."
Maxwell Jing twitched his lips. "You’re the one who suddenly said we should share a room! I barely know you—why should I bunk with you?"
Noah Duanmu replied matter-of-factly, "Because there aren’t enough rooms! And I find you the most agreeable."
Maxwell Jing snorted, "Well, thanks for that!"
Morgan Shangguan’s lips curled into a faint smile. Noah and Maxwell really were similar in temperament! Damien Gray, meanwhile, didn’t care who bunked with whom—he’d be sharing a room with his princess consort, no matter what.
Liam Duanmu finally spoke up, "Noah, you’ll share a room with me instead."
Ethan Gu suddenly said, "No need. Maxwell will room with me!" His tone was firm and final, and no one argued further.