Even the Flowers Have Bugs

Evan Xiao turned and left, heading straight to the King's Spirit Tree.

Grandpa Gene wasn't there.

There was no one else around either.

He stood there for a while, feeling inexplicably annoyed, then headed back.

Instead of returning to the Sunshade Palace to handle official business, he went back to his own residence, Radiant Dawn Palace.

After returning, he didn't go inside right away.

Instead, quite unusually, he wandered around the garden outside.

The flowers were all flourishing, showing off as if they owned the place.

But then he spotted a plump little ladybug lounging on a petal like it was the emperor of bugs.

Crown Prince Evan Xiao's face darkened, and he called out, "Who's in charge of the garden?"

"Your Highness! It's Selina!" The cheerful dragon steward who'd just greeted Grandpa Gene hurried over.

"How long has it been since anyone looked after this garden? It's crawling with bugs!"

"Huh? Where are the bugs?" Selina was so startled, she almost jumped out of her scales.

"Get Grandpa Gene the High Saint over here! That old guy is getting lazier by the day!" Evan Xiao said coolly.

"Grandpa Gene just came by today!" Selina said quickly. "He even brought two disciples with him!"

"Disciples?" Evan Xiao looked at Selina.

"Yep!" Selina giggled like a lovesick flower. "Those two disciples are such eye candy! I thought they were flower fairies at first, but nope, just two gorgeous people!"

"So what did he even come here for? Didn't he see all the bugs on the flowers?" Evan Xiao pointed at the flower bed, sounding half amused, half annoyed.

Selina glanced at where Evan Xiao pointed. There, an immortal ladybug stared at them with big, round eyes, looking far too wise for a bug.

"This... probably just flew in," Selina said, shooing it away. "These aren't pests, they're harmless."

"I'm asking, what did they come here for?" Evan Xiao pressed.

"They went to the backyard to water the newly planted Celestial Hibiscus Orchids!" Selina said. "They just left!"

Evan Xiao didn't say a word and headed back inside.

Rosalind came over with tea, her smile gentle. "Your Highness, why are you back so early today?" she asked.

"Mm." Evan Xiao hummed in reply.

"Today, High Goddess Sophie Shang came by," Rosalind said. "She brought you an ancient sword from the Divine Realm, said to be the legendary Sword of Tai'a. She wanted to give it to you herself, but you were busy, so she left it here."

As she spoke, Rosalind brought over the ancient sword.

Evan Xiao didn't take it, just shot her a look.

Rosalind's face fell and she suddenly knelt down. "Forgive me, Your Highness! I just thought, since His Majesty has granted the marriage, you'd be husband and wife with High Goddess Sophie Shang sooner or later, so I accepted it!"

Evan Xiao didn't tell her to get up, just asked, "Did anyone come looking for me today?"

Rosalind hesitated. "No one else really, except for a woman who came with Grandpa Gene the High Saint. She said she was an old acquaintance of yours. She first looked for Lu Xin and Qin Zhong, then said she wanted to see you."

Evan Xiao didn't ask any more questions, just said, "Return the sword. If you ever make decisions on your own again, I won't let it slide."

"Return it? But..." Rosalind looked troubled. "Now that His Majesty has granted your marriage to High Goddess Sophie Shang, you always avoid her, and if you send back the gift she brought..."

"Yes!" Rosalind got up and left with the sword.

Grace followed Grandpa Gene the High Saint around the Celestial Palace and discovered he knew every magical flower and herb in Drake Abyss by heart.

As for Grace, aside from the herbs listed in the Ten Wilds Herbal Codex, most of the plants were a complete mystery to her.