Maybe He Thinks I’m Annoying

"His Highness's palace isn't a place just anyone can storm into." Skye's expression darkened. "Don't do this again!"

"Well, I just did. Go ahead, hit me!" Lily Bai was in a foul mood, even fiercer than Skye.

Skye stared at her for a moment, then silently turned and went back inside.

"Seriously! He's obviously inside, but insists on hiding and won't see anyone! What's he hiding for?" Lily Bai stomped out to the palace gates, pacing back and forth, feeling thoroughly annoyed.

"Senior Sister?" Nine Li ran over to find her. "I went looking for you and you weren't there. Why are you circling around here?"

"What's up?"

"Baxa asked me to tell you—Blood-Eye is back, so be careful around him," Nine Li said. "Baxa said Blood-Eye has barely lived among humans, his wild side isn't tamed, and when he goes savage, he might even eat his own father!"

"Hmph! Like I'm afraid of him!" Lily Bai snorted. "Besides, he's a python—does he even know who his father is?"

"Uh... Blood-Eye is a python demon?" Nine Li honestly had no idea. "Senior Sister, do you have beef with him?"

Lily Bai was silent for a moment. "Sort of. He tried to flirt with me, but someone smashed him into the Tribulation Storm Array. I guess he just got rescued now."

"He's got some nerve! He actually dared to flirt with my Senior Sister? Isn't he afraid you'll beat him up?"

"He's ranked second among the Ten Fiendish Elites. So of course he thinks he's hot stuff!" Lily Bai scoffed.

"Oh..." Nine Li asked again. "So, Senior Sister, what are you doing out here?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing..." Lily Bai waved him off. "Go play by yourself, I'm in a mood!"

"Is it because of Damian?"

Lily Bai glanced at him but said nothing.

"Senior Sister... have you fallen for him?" Nine Li pressed.

"D-don't... Don't say nonsense!"

"You're stuttering and still won't admit it!" Nine Li laughed. "Honestly, I've known for ages! You two totally like each other. If you like him, just be together! You two are a perfect match!"

Lily Bai let out a silent sigh.

"Are you worried the Divine Race will punish you? Then just be together in secret! It's really not that hard—stop frowning all the time." Nine Li suggested.

Lily Bai shook her head. "That's not the problem. It's just... I do like him, but it seems like he doesn't like me back."

"Oh? Did he say so?"

"Say what? Ever since we came back, he's been avoiding me. Just now I tracked him to his room, but he still hid and wouldn't see me. Maybe... he just finds me annoying..."

Nine Li's eyes lit up. "How about we test it?"

"How would we test that?"

"Hmm... I'll go to him and pretend you've gone missing, and see if he panics. If he gets really anxious, it proves he cares about you!"

Lily Bai shook her head. "His tracking technique is way better than mine. No matter where I hide, he always finds me."

"Hmm... then we could pretend you're in danger, and see if he gets worried?"

"That's way too childish! Forget it, forget it!"

"Wait! Got it!" Nine Li suddenly remembered. "Yesterday I overheard Baxa and Azure Flame talking about a vicious beast sealed under Jadecrest Mountain, east of Wildlands City. The sealing array is unstable lately—cracks have appeared. They're going to check it out today. Why don't we go too, and then I can tell Damian you're in danger and see how he reacts?"

Lily Bai shook her head. "Let's not..."

"Come on, Senior Sister! You can help check the array too—make sure that beast doesn't really break out."