Chapter Twenty: You Did Not Harm Me; The Snow Lotus Pearl Flower

Snake Clan Underground Palace

A servant of the Snake Clan hurried into the hall to report, "My King, it is terrible! The people of the Ghost Clan have arrived."

"King?! You are the King?!" The little girl, whom everyone called Little Bun, jumped off the bed and scrambled as far away from him as she could.

How could he be the King?

Little Bun clenched her small hands into fists. With a heart full of trepidation, she looked at him and asked, "How can you be the King of the Snake Clan?"

Han Mo’s face darkened, his gaze growing gloomy as he looked at her. "I am Han Mo, the King of this underground palace."

He had not hidden his identity from the start. It was simply that this little ghost was too naive to know that the King of the Snake Clan was named Han Mo. If she had any wit about her, she should have been prepared the moment she entered this palace two hours ago. Who would have thought she was truly so foolish that she was only just now realizing it?

"Let them in. Do not block them."

"Yes, your servant obeys." The snake-servant turned and departed.

Han Mo looked down at the little girl on the bed and spoke in a deep voice, "Your father is here. Do you not intend to come down?"

"Are you truly... the King of the Snake Clan?" Little Bun climbed off the bed, still looking dazed, clearly finding it hard to believe.

"Naturally."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Little Bun pouted, feeling wronged. Just a moment ago, her father had told her to stay away from him. How was she supposed to do that when she had been with him for hours? It was all his fault—he was a big liar for not telling her he was the King.

Han Mo laughed in exasperation. He reached out and gave her head a sharp rap. "Did I not tell you, or is this little ghost just pathetically dim-witted?"

She hadn't known he was the King, yet she dared to blame him for not introducing himself in detail? One could call her clever, for she was certainly precocious, but one could also call her foolish, as she truly lived up to her own muddled ways.

Stung by the sudden blow, Little Bun let out an "Ouch!" and glared at him in indignation. "Don't hit me! My father is already at the gates of your palace, and you still dare to treat me like this?"

"Oh?" Han Mo raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He crossed his arms and looked at her. "Would you have me kneel and kowtow, welcoming Your Highness from the Underworld as you rest in my palace?"

That was true; she had been sleeping here for nearly two hours. Little Bun felt a sudden flush of embarrassment, but remembering that her father was here, she lost her fear. She lifted her small chin, her expression filled with haughty pride. "Yes, that is exactly what you should do."

She was a little princess of the Ghost Clan, her father’s only daughter; she was worthy of his welcome. Yes, her father was the only one comparable to His Highness Yuheng, the King of the Underworld, the master who governed life and death—she was certainly worthy.

Han Mo wiped away his smile, his face returning to its usual indifference. Feigning anger, he asked, "Say that again?"

"You—you wouldn't dare hit me again, would you?!" Little Bun retreated in fear, worried he might actually strike her. Her father was right there; surely he wouldn't dare?

Ignoring her, Han Mo reached out again, his hand descending toward her head as if he were far more serious than the playful jab from before.

Terrified, Little Bun squeezed her eyes shut, shielding her head with her small arms, and shrieked, "Ah! Father, save me! This big snake is going to hit me!!"

"Father, save me!! This big snake is going to hit me!!"

"This big snake is going to hit me!!"

The voice echoed from the inner chambers, resonating throughout the entire palace.

***

"Is that the Little Princess's voice?!" Bai Chang and Hei Chang heard it.

"Miaoyuan?!" Yan Yi, who was in the outer hall, also heard his daughter’s voice. He immediately vanished and reappeared inside.

*Ding—* What was that sound?

Little Bun slowly opened her purple eyes. The expected pain on her head never came; she felt nothing at all. He had not hit her.

She opened her eyes wide and looked up to see the big snake holding a glowing white bead-flower that had appeared out of nowhere.

"A gift for you: a Snow Lotus Bead-Flower." Han Mo took the treasure from his collection and handed it to the little girl without a hint of reluctance.

Little Bun was stunned. "A Snow Lotus Bead-Flower?"

How could it be that? Wasn't it said that the Snow Lotus Bead-Flower had already withered by this time of night? How could he have one?

"Yuanyuan?!" Yan Yi suddenly appeared before her, shielding her completely behind him. His cold gaze bore down on Han Mo with intense pressure. "You dare touch her?"

"No, Father..." Little Bun was overjoyed to see her father, but her excitement lasted only a second. Hearing his words, she hurriedly shook her head. "He didn't hurt me. He wanted to give me a Snow Lotus Bead-Flower."

"A Snow Lotus Bead-Flower?!" Yan Yi glanced at her, then whipped his head back toward Han Mo, sneering, "Regardless of what he gives you, he is guilty of hiding you in this palace."

Knowing her identity yet failing to notify the Ghost Clan—hiding a princess of the Ghost Clan was a capital offense.

"Your Highness, you misunderstand," Han Mo said, lowering his hand. Looking at the father and daughter, he continued, "I did not know her identity before. Moreover, if she had not followed me to the palace, any part of the Demon Realm would have been fraught with danger for her."

"So, I should thank you, then?"

"This junior would not dare. Since Your Highness has found the Little Princess, I shall return her to you."

Ever since he learned she was of the Ghost Clan, he had never intended to harm her. After all, he knew the nature of the Underworld King: he would not offend unless offended. There was no need for the Snake Clan to provoke any ghost from the Underworld. Furthermore, since this little ghost had delivered the Blood Spirit Bead-Flower to him, he would not hurt her, in reason or in sentiment.

"This is a Snow Lotus Bead-Flower from beneath Mount Xueyuan," Han Mo said, handing the flower to Little Bun once more under the King’s gaze. "Consider it my thanks for the Blood Spirit Bead-Flower the Little Princess delivered to me."

"Blood Spirit Bead-Flower?" Yan Yi’s aura turned frigid. He cast a sharp look at his daughter. "You gave it to him?"

Where could she have acquired such a treasure? If he recalled correctly, the only known specimen of this millennium-old rarity was in the hands of His Highness Yuheng of the Celestial Clan in the Nine Heavens. So, when and where had it come into Miaoyuan’s possession? And when had she given it to Han Mo, the Snake King?

"No, no, no! I’ve been wronged, Father!" Seeing her father’s expression shift, Little Bun waved her hands in a panic. "This has nothing to do with me, and it isn't mine! It was the White Radish! It belongs to the White Radish!"

"White Radish? Who is that?" Yan Yi’s voice was icy and rhythmic, sounding as if he were ready to kill.

Little Bun dared not continue. She feared that if she spoke, her father would kill the White Radish. The White Radish was a disgraced immortal punished by His Highness Yuheng of the Heavens. If he died, His Highness Yuheng would surely cause trouble for her father. She couldn't say it.

"Father..." Little Bun looked at him pitifully, hoping he would stop asking. "I’m so tired. I want to sleep."

"If you cannot name this person, you shall not sleep from this day forth."

"Father?!" Little Bun gasped, her eyes filled with hurt.

"Your Highness, why must you do this?" Han Mo stepped forward, glancing at the clearly distressed little girl, and laughed coldly. "This item was mine to begin with, stolen by a bunch of hypocritical, sanctimonious people. Now that this Blood Spirit Bead-Flower has returned to my hands, does Your Highness not think that is only right?"

Yan Yi gave him a cold look, then turned his gaze back to Little Bun, his voice chilling. "I will ask you one last time: who is this 'White Radish'? And who gave you this Blood Spirit Bead-Flower to deliver to him?"

Han Mo’s expression shifted, and he looked at the King sharply. "Your Highness?!"

"Waaah... Father..." Little Bun was so frightened by his intimidation that she burst into tears. "P-please, stop... I’m scared."

Yan Yi clenched his fists, shouting, "Speak!"

Little Bun blurted out in fear, "It was that disgraced immortal who gave it to me!"

"I..." She froze, tears still hanging from her lashes. It was over. Why had she said it?

"Very well. Bai Yan." Yan Yi gritted his teeth, slowly enunciating the name. "Back to the Underworld. I shall see what kind of chaos this person can stir up!"

"Yes—" Hei Chang and Bai Chang bowed low.

Little Bun whimpered, her voice soft and tearful. "Father?" She had been wrong. She was truly wrong.

Yan Yi gave a cold scoff and turned to leave. "Move. If you dare sneak out again, I will break your legs."

"I—" Little Bun’s sobs were choked off; she didn't even dare to cry.

Bai Chang hurried over and picked her up. "Little Princess, let us go." The King was angry; the Little Princess’s days ahead would not be easy.

"Little ghost!" Han Mo moved with lightning speed, stepping in front of Bai Chang to block their path.

Hei Chang stepped forward, standing between them with a dark look. "What does the Snake King intend? Do you wish to make an enemy of the Ghost Clan?"

"General Hei Chang, you overthink," Han Mo said, glancing at him before looking past him at the tearful Little Bun in Bai Chang’s arms. He held out his hand. "Here, this is yours."

Little Bun looked at him blankly. "What..." What was hers? Why would it be hers?

"I do not know why you were searching for a Snow Lotus Bead-Flower, but since my palace has one, I gift it to you as payment for your hard work on this journey."

"Is it for me?" Little Bun looked at him, stunned. He nodded gently.

Under his gaze, for some reason, she reached out and took the flower, laughing through her tears with a touch of cute playfulness.

"Thank you, Big Snake."