Chapter 7: The Crown Prince’s Challenge

“Here we are! Here we are! Good thing we hurried back, or we’d have missed the show!”

Ahoge Dragon exclaimed.

Ahoge Dragon, pulling Mao Yuxia by the arm, made her way to the spectator stands of the arena.

The area was already teeming with people.

It was practically shoulder-to-shoulder.

After all, a battle between two peerless prodigies was bound to draw a crowd.

Ahoge Dragon scanned her surroundings, finding no available seats.

This immediately displeased her.

For such a magnificent spectacle, one naturally ought to be seated at the very front of the stands, sipping cola and munching on popcorn.

Being forced to squeeze in with so many others was utterly unacceptable to her.

“Let’s go over there,” Mao Yuxia suggested.

She pointed towards the preparation area in the distance, where only a few people were present.

Despite the sparse crowd, they occupied several rows of seats.

“Yay!” Ahoge Dragon cheered.

Together, Ahoge Dragon and Mao Yuxia headed in that direction.

“Hey! Unauthorized personnel, no entry! Move along, quickly!”

Predictably, a guard blocked their path.

“Hey! Do you even know who I am? I’m warning you, you’d better let me in right now! Otherwise, I’ll have my big sister beat you up!” Ahoge Dragon threatened, her temper flaring at being obstructed.

“I don’t care if it’s your big sister or your big auntie! Here, you follow school rules! Nobody gets a free pass!” the guard uncle retorted angrily.

If not for the little loli’s rather cute appearance, he would have long since dragged this troublemaker away.

‘Uncle, I am the most dedicated and responsible guard,’ he thought.

“Woof-gaa!”

Undeterred, Ahoge Dragon bared her fangs and claws, ready to argue with the guard.

“Mmmph…”

However, Mao Yuxia quickly clapped a hand over her mouth.

“I’m so sorry, meow! My friend here has a few screws loose, Uncle, please don’t be angry!”

Seeing the gate-keeping uncle about to draw his weapon in anger, Mao Yuxia rushed forward to restrain Ahoge Dragon.

“Don’t do this again next time! Otherwise, you’ll be dealt with according to school regulations!”

The gate-keeping uncle glanced at Ahoge Dragon, deeming her a true simpleton.

He decided it wasn’t worth his time to argue with her.

Mao Yuxia then pulled Ahoge Dragon back, holding her close.

“You’re the simpleton! You’re the one with a screw loose!”

Once released, Ahoge Dragon bounced around, trying to hit Mao Yuxia’s head.

Unable to reach, she resorted to pounding Mao Yuxia’s chest with her tiny fists.

“Woof-gaa woof-gaa woof-gaa woof-gaa woof-gaa woof-gaa!”

“Meow, meow, meow! Stop hitting me! Let’s use this time to find any remaining empty seats!”

Mao Yuxia was quite pained by the blows.

“No! Today, I’m going in there to be with my big sister!”

Ahoge Dragon then attempted to run back and reason with the gate-keeping uncle.

Given her close relationship with Yao Yueli, why wouldn’t he let her in?

“Don’t go! Do you want to be punished by climbing stairs?!”

Mao Yuxia grabbed Ahoge Dragon’s tail, preventing her from causing further trouble.

****

“Eh? What’s happening?”

As the two engaged in their tug-of-war, the crowd behind them suddenly grew restless.

Simultaneously, a path opened up.

Through it, Gudou Toutian was seen approaching alongside a person with black and white hair.

“A yin-yang man and a kidney-deficient man. What a perfect match!” Ahoge Dragon scoffed.

In Ahoge Dragon’s eyes, anyone associated with Gudou Toutian was inherently bad news.

“Little Ahoge, don’t talk nonsense! That’s the Crown Prince of the Luminous Moon Kingdom! If he hears you, he’ll make your life a living hell!” Mao Yuxia warned, terrified.

‘Where did my Sister Yueli pick up such a death-seeking Ahoge?’ she wondered.

“Hmph! Him? So he’s Yue Guangyao, the Crown Prince of the Luminous Moon Kingdom!”

Upon learning the man’s name, Ahoge Dragon’s demeanor grew even fiercer.

During their mountain climb with Yao Yueli, she had already heard that this Crown Prince intended to make Yao Yueli his Crown Princess Consort.

Wasn’t that essentially trying to steal her wife? This was an unforgivable grudge!

“Hey! Ahoge, where are you going?!”

Mao Yuxia’s grip momentarily loosened, and Ahoge Dragon slipped away.

Watching Ahoge Dragon charge furiously towards Gudou Toutian and Yue Guangyao, Mao Yuxia knew things were about to take a turn for the worse.

At this point, she could only pray that this silly Ahoge wouldn’t do anything foolish.

“Hey, yin-yang man! Are you the one who wants my big sister to be your Crown Princess Consort?!” Ahoge Dragon bellowed.

“How utterly ridiculous! With your pathetic looks, you dare to covet my big sister! A toad dreaming of eating swan meat!”

But a silly Ahoge was still a silly Ahoge; with just a single sentence, she managed to make everyone present remember her.

“Impudent! Where did this wild spawn come from, daring to disrespect the Crown Prince?!”

Several of Crown Prince Yue Guangyao’s followers were behind him.

Hearing Ahoge Dragon’s words, several of them immediately stepped forward, intent on teaching this ignorant half-demon a lesson.

“Yin-yang man… toad…”

Yue Guangyao’s mouth twitched; it was the first time he had ever been insulted to his face.

He vowed that once he captured her, he would tear her mouth to shreds.

“Heh heh, I didn’t expect you to be so bold! Let’s see how Yao Yueli can protect you this time!”

Gudou Toutian recognized the lizard-like half-demon.

Seeing her about to be dealt with by the Crown Prince, he revealed a wicked smile.

“Kidney-deficient man, what are you laughing at?! Standing with a toad, you’re practically infected! And here I thought your green hair was rather nice!”

Ahoge Dragon’s veiled insults, aimed at one while scolding another, made Yue Guangyao’s face turn even more ashen.

From behind him, a crescent-shaped flying blade spun forth, seemingly indicating his intention to personally execute the one who dared to insult him.

Ahoge Dragon’s draconic eyes swept over the scene.

Far from being afraid, she exclaimed with surprise, “Wow~~ another upgrade material!”

*Snap!*

The crescent flying blade slashed down.

It carved a deep fissure into the ground.

“Are you an idiot?! Why didn’t you run?!”

Mao Yuxia felt that Ahoge Dragon was beyond saving.

If she hadn’t pushed Ahoge Dragon away just now, Ahoge Dragon would likely have been cut in half.

“What are you doing to my people?!”

The use of such a powerful magic tool in the arena was quickly sensed by Yao Yueli from the preparation area.

Witnessing the scene, Yao Yueli’s gaze turned icy as she fixed it upon Yue Guangyao and his entourage.

Ahoge Dragon, who had been pinned down by Mao Yuxia, saw Yao Yueli arrive.

She quickly shoved Mao Yuxia aside, rushed to Yao Yueli’s side, and hugged her leg, exclaiming, “Big sister, they bullied me! They almost killed me!”

Yao Yueli observed Yue Guangyao’s face, which had turned as black as coal.

She instantly understood that Ahoge Dragon was undoubtedly the cause of this commotion.

“Yao Yueli, hand over this beast! She dared to insult this Crown Prince! From today forward, this person shall cease to exist!” Yue Guangyao threatened with a grim voice.

“She is my person! What if I refuse to hand her over?!”

Regardless of the circumstances, Yao Yueli was determined to protect Ahoge Dragon.

“It’s simple. She insulted this Crown Prince, and everyone here…”

Yue Guangyao was still attempting to condemn Ahoge Dragon.

Suddenly, a portly man with a big head and large ears, adorned with many rings on his fingers, whispered something into Yue Guangyao’s ear.

Following this, Yue Guangyao’s lips curved into a sinister smile, his face radiating cunning.

“This Crown Prince is merciful! I would not easily kill my own subjects!

However, this… half-demon insulted this Crown Prince, as everyone witnessed! If this Crown Prince does not punish her, how can I govern this kingdom in the future?

Therefore, this Crown Prince proposes a deal with you! If you can defeat Brother Gudou in the upcoming match, then this Crown Prince will not punish her!

But if you lose, you must agree to become this Crown Prince’s Crown Princess Consort! This seems like a very fair deal, wouldn’t you say?”