A piece of soft zither music flowed out from the side, played by Shi Qingyue.
Zhang Fengxi leaned to the side and gazed at Xie Jianyu.
The moment Xie Jianyu started with the dance, he had not only Zhang Fengxi, but the entire audience enraptured in his performance.
The strongest swordsman in all layers of heaven trod lightly through the air, stepping on invisible steps as he moved from side to side with his famous spiritual weapon in hand.
In his hand, Winter Frost was morphed into a piece of art.
Sometimes the blade slashed fiercely through the air, sometimes it moved smoothly following its master’s guidance.
From time to time, Winter Frost left its master’s hand to perform its own dance in the air. No matter what kind of sequence they performed, Winter Frost always ended up landing in Xie Jianyu’s hand.
The accessories that hung from Xie Jianyu’s clothes made sweet jingling sounds as he danced in the air. The tunes that they produced were stringed together in a kind of unique music that complemented Shi Qingyue’s zither tune.
Xie Jianyu’s advanced light foot skills allowed him to spend a long time in the air. He only needed to use one foot to touch the edge of the clouds briefly before he propelled himself again into the air.
He landed on the fluffy cloud like a flower fairy, and soared back into the air like an arrow that split the sky with its magnificence.
Zhang Fengxi poured himself another cup of wine. He slowly drank from his cup while watching Xie Jianyu.
The alpha could not remember much of his interactions with Xie Jianyu in the past. They were no friends, but they were also no enemies. He was not in Xie Jianyu’s circle of friends, and vice versa.
Had they been friends in his past life, would that not be great?
Xie Jianyu turned out to be quite a decent, though annoying person from time to time.
And, although Zhang Fengxi would rather die by a thousand needles than admit it in front of anyone, Xie Jianyu did have a perfect sword form. When he held a sword, be it Winter Frost or a cheap bamboo training sword, he became one with the weapon.
He could manipulate any sword in his hand.
A master in every sense of the word.
Eh?
Zhang Fengxi furrowed his brows.
Initially, he thought that he was drunk. He had to rub his eyes many times before he registered that he did not see it wrong.
Layers of bright red fabric unfurled themselves like petals that fell off a blooming flower, revealing what lay beneath.
A shocked expression spread on Xie Jianyu’s face when he realized what was happening.
The Crown Prince quickly stopped dancing and hugged the remaining layers of clothes that were quickly slipping off his shoulders and back.
Busy covering himself, he lost his focus and was falling from a height. Everyone screamed in horror.
"Xie Jianyu...!!!"
Liu Wenyuan turned to look at Zhang Fengxi, who already stepped off his seat and flew toward Xie Jianyu.
Xie Jianyu’s body was tilted to the side as Zhang Fengxi pulled him into his embrace and carried him in his arms.
The two young men stared into each other’s eyes as they slowly spun in the air. Xie Jianyu could see his own reflection in Zhang Fengxi’s eyes, surrounded by numerous bright lanterns that moved in opposite direction.
The beautiful moment ended too quickly when they gracefully landed on the ground. By then, Xie Jianyu was mostly naked.
Zhang Fengxi swiftly took off the thick cloak that hung from his shoulders and wrapped it around Xie Jianyu’s body.
He noticed the minute trembling on Xie Jianyu’s shoulders, the distress that his impassive face refused to betray.
"It’s going to be alright," Zhang Fengxi said to placate the young man in his arms. "Xie Jianyu, it is going to be fine."
The trembling stopped in an instant. Xie Jianyu lifted his eyes and stared at Zhang Fengxi.
"Little Yu!!!"
Xie Jianshen ran toward the duo, followed closely by an aghast Jiang Muchen.
The Heavenly Emperor watched the scene from a distance. He was so angry that he rose to his feet and upturned the table in front of him in the process.
Xie Jianshen cupped Xie Jianyu’s face in his hands.
"Little Yu, are you hurt?"
Xie Jianyu shook his head.
"I am fine. The robe..."
"Forget the robe!" Xie Jianshen snapped impatiently. "Come, can you walk?"
Xie Jianyu wrapped the cloak tight around his slender body and pushed himself off Zhang Fengxi’s embrace.
"Thank you, Prince Zhang Fengxi," he said before he went with Xie Jianshen back into the palace. Jiang Muchen threw Zhang Fengxi a displeased look before he too followed after his Little Uncle and mother.
Meanwhile, Mingyu and Qingyun ran toward the stage to collect the ruined robe.
"What exactly happened???" Mingyu asked in agitation.
"I don’t know."
Qingyun was close to tears.
"Oh, dear Gods... Master could have been harmed. He fell from such a height..."
Mingyu turned to look at Zhang Fengxi. She quickly approached him and bowed her head in gratitude.
"Prince Zhang Fengxi, thank you. Thank you for saving my master."
Zhang Fengxi waved his hand dismissively.
"It was nothing. Anyone would do that."
"Mingyu!"
Qingyun already gathered all the pieces that fell from the robe.
"Mingyu, the safety pins... I have only found ten out of twelve."
"What??? How could it be??? It was Shuiran Palace Mistress himself who fixed the pins..."
A cloud of understanding descended on Mingyu when she recalled something.
The maid turned to look at Zhang Fengxi in bewilderment, her lips open in a huge O.
"..."
Zhang Fengxi did not know how to interpret that look. All of a sudden, Mingyu did not look all that grateful anymore.
"Excuse us, Prince Zhang Fengxi!" she fumed before she dragged Qingyun with her back into the palace.
Zhang Fengxi stared at Mingyu’s back in confusion. Did he do something to upset the maid?