In the waters of Xihong stood a magnificent palace hall: the residence of the Qi family's Fourth Prince.

A handful of figures came hurrying across the water toward it.

At their head was the West Dragon Palace's Seventh, Qi Zhaoping.

Compared with the great processions he used to travel with, his retinue this time was spare in the extreme—just two trusted aides. He was keeping a low profile.

“Hurry and announce This Prince to Fourth Brother. I have urgent business to discuss.”

Qi Zhaoping stood with his hands at his sides, his eyes cold, his face giving away nothing of what he felt.

Only the two trusted demon generals beside him knew what a rage Lord Qi the Seventh had just flown into back in his own hall.

He was master of Xihong, and yet every one of his people answered to that damned woman—so much so that An Tingfeng and the azure phoenix clan head had been missing for days and their lord had been kept completely in the dark.

It wasn't until someone had slaughtered several Glazed Azure Phoenixes right over the West Dragon Palace's head that Qi Zhaoping finally realized what had happened.

Anyone with eyes could see that those azure phoenixes had been counting on the Dragon Palace—or, more precisely, on him, the Seventh Prince, as their protector.

And they had been butchered without mercy on their protector's own ground.

How could Qi Zhaoping not be furious!

Of course, what scared him even more was this: Eldest Brother had given him only a handful of tasks. He still hadn't found that black bear, and he had meant to soothe Eldest Brother with the news that An Tingfeng and the azure phoenixes had come over to them, so he had hurried a letter off to the south.

Now the letter had arrived, and the demons were gone!

Qi Zhaoping could already picture how Eldest Brother would rage when he heard.

No… he had to come up with an explanation.

Qi Zhaoping knew very well that his brothers were either thick as thieves with Second Brother, trying to…