At this moment, Princess Ivy had just returned to the City Lord's Mansion, and many people were watching her, making her feel a bit uneasy. She even wondered if they had seen through some flaw of hers, which left her somewhat panicked.
Little did she know, her incident with Evan Chu at the city gate had already stirred up a storm throughout Nine-Shade City. She had flown straight back to the City Lord's Mansion—after all, very few people in Nine-Shade City could fly freely above its skies, maybe five at most.
If she had passed through the city gate, she might have already become the center of gossip. This time, the Shade Lord—the City Lord of Nine-Shade City—had issued orders everywhere to search for her, even sending out several powerful experts to look for her.
Princess Ivy felt prickly all over under everyone's gaze and hurriedly ran into the grand hall, drawing even more attention. The City Lord was searching for her everywhere, and now she suddenly showed up—how ridiculous.
Once inside the hall, the Shade Lord was discussing something with the others. Seeing Princess Ivy, he immediately stopped, flashed over to her side, and after carefully looking her over, said, "Yiyi, where did you go? You had your father worried sick! Are you alright?"
Princess Ivy spun in place and smiled, "Aren't I perfectly fine? Father, you underestimate me. In Nine-Shade City, who would dare do anything to me? You know my strength better than anyone."
"Heh, Ivy, you're too mischievous. There are plenty of people in Nine-Shade City with strength matching yours. You should keep a lower profile—some people won't care about your father's reputation and might try something against you." The Shade Lord spoke earnestly, his face full of love and concern.
"Mm, I get it, Father. What were you all discussing? Everyone looks so serious—did something happen?" Princess Ivy asked.
"It's all because of you. You were gone for three whole days, and your father was worried the entire time! Alright, everyone can go now—since Princess Ivy has returned, cancel the order to search for her." said the Shade Lord.
Soon, everyone in the grand hall left, leaving only Princess Ivy and the Shade Lord. "Ivy, where did you go this time? I heard you went after that youth who injured the coachman—did you catch him?" asked the Shade Lord.
"Heh, Father, I was just about to tell you about that. But you have to promise not to get mad, or I won't say a word," Princess Ivy said.
"Making conditions with me, huh? Go ahead, what is it? Your father won't get angry," the Shade Lord replied with a laugh.
"That human youth is no ordinary person—he's handsome, and his strength is incredible. I wasn't even his match. I want him to be my husband. Father, you won't object, will you?" Princess Ivy said, summoning her courage.
"My little Yiyi is all grown up—this is a good thing. But it's all a bit too hasty, so I can't agree just yet! There's another important reason: with your Pure Yin Constitution, if you want to choose a husband, he must have a Pure Yang Constitution. Men like that are as rare as phoenix feathers. I think you should give up, or you'll only end up hurting him—and suffering yourself," the Shade Lord said.
"Father, I know all that. He really is a Pure Yang Constitution man—and I've already fallen deeply in love with him. I want him to be my consort. Even if you don't approve, I've already chosen him," Princess Ivy said immediately.
"A Pure Yang Constitution man? Did he tell you that himself?" The Shade Lord was clearly startled and asked immediately.
"That's not your concern. Just know it's true. So, are you going to agree or not?" Princess Ivy pressed. Of course, she wasn't about to admit they'd already done the most thrilling, wonderful thing together—if her father found out, who knows if he'd send someone to kill Evan Chu on the spot.
Seeing Princess Ivy's stubborn look, the Shade Lord felt a bit helpless. He knew it was his own spoiling that had made her so headstrong. "Bring him here when you have time and let your father see for himself. If he's really as outstanding as you say, and truly has a Pure Yang Constitution, then I'll agree to your request. But if he's a fraud, he'll have to pay with his life—deceiving my daughter is a capital crime."
"Heh, thanks Father! I won't let you down—my taste is top-notch. Just wait, I'll bring him back to meet you!" Princess Ivy said with a happy laugh, then ran out of the hall.
After leaving the hall, Princess Ivy went straight to Roxy's room. Roxy was resting with her eyes closed, but when Ivy came in, she immediately said, "Sis, you're back! I heard you went after the youth who injured the coachman—how did it go? Why were you gone so long? The whole Nine-Shade City is looking for you right now."
"Roxy, I've got some absolutely huge news for you—you're definitely going to be shocked!" Princess Ivy said excitedly.
"Heh, what could make you so happy, Sis? Don't tell me you've fallen for that youth?" Roxy laughed.
Princess Ivy was startled. "How—how did you know? That's exactly what I wanted to tell you! I'm going to make him my consort. Surprised?"
"A little, yes. But Sis, finding someone you like is something to celebrate. If you fell for him so quickly, he must be an exceptional youth—am I right?" Roxy said, glancing at her a few times.
Princess Ivy saw Ruoxi looking at her and felt a sudden panic, her cheeks burning. "Actually, this person is quite close to you. He said you're his little sister!"
Roxy instantly stood up, her face tense. "He said I'm his little sister? What's his name?"
"Look how nervous you are! His name is Evan Chu, and he's at the Auspicious Cloud Inn right now. Do you have a brother named Evan Chu?" Princess Ivy asked.
"Evan Chu? He's finally come to find me? You said he's at the Auspicious Cloud Inn?" Roxy was visibly excited.
"That's right, the Auspicious Cloud Inn!" Princess Ivy hadn't even finished speaking when Roxy rushed out of the room, leaving Ivy stunned. "Heh, she's even more impatient than me—it's just a brother, isn't it?"
Meanwhile, Evan Chu was examining the monster core in his hand. He could sense the immense energy inside, but couldn't figure out how to absorb it, leaving him a bit frustrated. In the end, he had to consult Luna, the sword spirit.
"Big Sis Luna, how do I absorb this monster core? I can't seem to draw out its energy at all."
"Heh, the energy in that monster core isn't for you to absorb—it's for your Nascent Soul to take in. You just need to communicate with it, but the absorption process is very slow. This one will take at least ten days to finish, and with your current state, you might not be able to manage it," Luna explained.