The newly ordained Second-in-command who had always been considered a true born warrior and a fearless female in the Bai clan, had plastered her forehead against the concrete. She was dressed in metal armour, while her flowing green hair was tied into a tight, neat bun. The vibrant green tint of her eyes was hidden from view as she stared at the stone floor. An unmistakable hint of fear coated her scent.

Bai Qingyue didn't answer, he kept stamping his seal from one parchment onto another.

"I beg you, My Lord, please don't go back." She breathed in deeply before continuing her speech, "My Lord cannot defy the Heavenly Emperor's orders! Not only will you be hunted down, but all of our clansmen will also suffer the consequences as well." In the end, Bai Cuifeng's words came out as a whimper.

It was obvious to all of the residents who were allowed to remain in the palace that the Sovereign Lord was in a hurry.

Hurrying where? Naturally, there could only be one place, or rather, one person who was capable of shaking His Lordship's calm and collected demeanour.

After several moments of frightful stillness, Bai Qingyue's baritone voice reverberated throughout the garden. "You think it is within your position to reprimand Your Lordship?"

At the sound of those words, Bai Cuifeng immediately raised her face from the ground. Her now reddened forehead had turned slightly bruised from the previous kowtows. She stared wide-eyed at His Lordship's back and cried out, "Certainly not, My Lord! This humble servant is merely concerned for-"

"Leave."

"My Lord! You will bring our clan to ruin for the sake of one woman?" As she questioned, a flash of hatred could be seen in her eyes.

"Presumptuous!" Bai Qingyue hissed, his voice laced with venom. He let go of the scroll in his hand and swung one long arm backwards in a sweeping movement.

A powerful gust of wind blasted from his direction and targeted the kneeling fox goddess, piercing through her armour and skin as easily as a knife slicing butter. Bai Cuifeng was instantly swept several miles away.

When Bai Cuifeng could no longer be seen, a deep, familiar voice chuckled aloud, "Your commander isn't wrong, you know. A Sovereign Lord should always prioritize the clan above all else. Learn from your old man's mistakes."

Bai Qingyue glared at the owner of the voice, who materialized underneath the pergola beside him. He had a few words in mind to retort, but kept quiet instead.

The person who suddenly appeared looked not much different from Bai Qingyue, bearing the same otherworldly looks of the white fox clan. Even his clothes were identical to the Sovereign Lord's. He dangled a small fragrant sachet between two of his fingers, playfully swirling the small bag in a circular motion.

"Father, spare me your words of wisdom." Bai Qingyue dropped all forms of formality when addressing Bai Zhang, eyeing the sachet in his father's hand.

He summoned a tray of freshly brewed teacups and presented one to Bai Zhang. "I summoned you to assist me with solving this particular issue. I see that the sachet is indeed able to deceive our kind's keen sense of smell."

Bai Zhang sighed deeply. He was already used to his son's lack of respectful speech. Nevertheless, the older fox god accepted the proffered cup and took a small sip. He proceeded to say, "We, the Huli Jing, are known as the masters of illusion. However, there is one trait we have never been able to ever properly conceal, and that is our personal scent."

Bai Zhang displayed the sachet in his hand. It was a small, plain bag with a strong scent of freshly cut grass. "Our ancestor, the primordial Bai clan's Sovereign Lord, had created a pair of sachets that are able to completely conceal one's personal scent. He produced one such magical item for himself and one for his future wife. These sachets have passed down throughout the generations, and each Sovereign Lord receives one and provides their wife with the other when they marry." The corner of Bai Zhang's lips curved downwards in disdain. "I have one sachet and your mother has the other."