Who Stole My Eggs?

Late at night, Xie Zuo woke up from a beautiful yet lustful dream, staring at the sheets with a gloomy expression.

After being stunned for a long time, he took off all his clothes and pants, tossing them aside. He got up and went to take a shower.

Everything in the Royal Inn was well-prepared and comfortable, with plenty of hot water for bathing even at night.

Xie Zuo rinsed with warm water, feeling the temperature rising with each passing moment. He discarded the long-handled wooden ladle, gripped the edge of the tub with both hands, and stared at his reflection in the water with flushed cheeks, angry at his own shortcomings.

After calming down for a while, he remembered the natural waterfall in the backyard, with a clear water pool below, perfect for him to clear his mind.

Xie Zuo grabbed a robe from the hanger, wrapping it around him casually, and went out.

The attendant on night duty was dozing off. When he noticed Xie Zuo coming out, he hurriedly followed and asked him in a low voice what he wanted. In the past, it was said that this prince was difficult to take care of and had a very strange temper. As expected, why was he staying up so late at night?

The attendant was in a dilemma. When he saw General Huo Yao coming over in neat clothes, he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. “General…”

“Go, I’ll watch over him,” Huo Yao said.

The attendant knelt down gratefully. “Thank you, General!”

.

Xie Zuo immersed himself in the pool. The cool water eased his physical and mental anxiety. He scooped up water and splashed it on his face, letting out a deep breath.

Raising his head and leaning on the rocks beside the pool, he immediately noticed Huo Yao.

It was truly vexing. Xie Zuo sat up, thought for a moment, and then laid back angrily. They were both men, so there was nothing to avoid. They had looked at each other so many times before!

Under the moonlight, Xie Zuo’s black hair cascaded like a waterfall in the pool, his fair and shiny skin, long and slender limbs, well-proportioned muscles, and tight and smooth muscle lines made it difficult to look away from him.

Huo Yao’s gaze was too focused and intense. Xie Zuo turned around and glared at him fiercely. “What are you looking at? Walk away, don’t be an eyesore!”

Instead of complying, Huo Yao took two steps closer. “How have you been these years? How is everything?”

Xie Zuo almost laughed angrily. Did General Huo want to renew their old friendship? He stood up, pointing to himself. “I am the prince,” then pointing down at Huo Yao, “You are a minister. What qualifications do you have to speak to me like this?”

In response to his provocation, Huo Yao remained silent, which only fueled Xie Zuo’s frustration. Judging from his breathing, he was clearly very angry.

“Hmph!” Xie Zuo walked out of the water, grabbed his robe, and wrapped it around him. He tied his belt while taunting Huo Yao, “Don’t think that because you served me for a few days when you were a child, that I will look at you differently.”

Ignoring Huo Yao, he walked by, deliberately bumping him hard with his shoulder, and strode away with his head held high.

When he returned to the room, he still felt uneasy and ordered the night watch attendant, “Call two beautiful women here!”

The attendant did not dare to neglect and hurriedly called for someone.

Huo Yao stood silently outside the door, watching the attendants lead the two women into Xie Zuo’s room, singing and dancing all night long.

.

The next day, with dark circles under his eyes, Xie Zuo slowly climbed onto the carriage under Huo Yao’s cold gaze.

He was so sleepy, he didn’t want to rush, he wanted to sleep, but Huo Yao was against him and insisted on leaving.

As soon as Xie Zuo sat down, Mu Rong climbed up, “You, you, you…” Mu Rong whispered, “You didn’t see General Huo’s face, please stop making trouble, brother!”

“Who made trouble?”

Mu Rong pointed out pointedly, “You are like a little daughter-in-law who is having a tantrum now!”

“Brother…” Mu Rong raised his hands to cover his face and sighed, “It’s too ugly.”

Xie Zuo also knew that he looked too ugly like this. Huo Yao was already married and had children, and he would never be in love with him again in this life. It wouldn’t be the same like back then.

Xie Zuo felt that he should be a freak of the demon clan. The traditional approach of the demon clan was to snatch away whoever they liked, regardless of whether he had a wife or children. But as for him, he was tortured just because Huo Yao got a wife and had children. What a shame!

Seeing that he had calmed down, Mu Rong persuaded him kindly, “Brother, your mood is understandable, but you must not turn against General Huo because of personal affairs. Now that all military power in our country belongs to the general, we will have to rely on him more in the future.”

Xie Zuo’s mood became even worse, “I shouldn’t have been the prince in the first place, so you should do it.”

Mu Rong’s face turned green with fright, “Your Highness, are you going to take my life?”

“Alas,” Xie Zuo now had nothing but regret. He really understood what it meant to ride a tiger but be unable to dismount.

Suddenly, Xie Zuo straightened up, “What’s that sound?”

Mu Rong looked confused, “Huh?”

.

Outside the carriage, Huo Yao shouted, “Be careful!”

The soldiers, well-trained and already lined up to be alert, along with Huo Yao, scanned the surroundings for potential dangers.

In the carriage, Xie Zuo said, “Here we come.”

As soon as he finished speaking, heavy clouds gathered overhead, darkening the entire sky.

The soldiers raised their heads, witnessing the clouds descending lower and lower. Soldiers hidden in the trees shouted, “They’re crows, all crows!”

“Quack, quack, quack!”

The crows drew nearer, their cries growing louder. Suddenly, they launched an attack on the ground.

The well-trained soldiers swiftly responded to Huo Yao’s order. Initially, a row of archers attempted to kill the invading crows, but discovered they were made of copper and iron, impervious to their arrows.

Huo Yao signaled for the archers to retreat, while the soldiers behind him employed large animal traps to capture the crows in pairs.

Xie Zuo noticed these were no ordinary trapping nets; each was adorned with a thunder and lightning charm. Upon collision, thunder and lightning erupted, stunning the crows and rendering them powerless.

Xie Zuo realized he wasn’t the only one who had learned the magic of immortality over the years.

Though the flock of crows came in force, they were swiftly eradicated. Just when the soldiers believed the crisis had passed, all the crows simultaneously exploded, unleashing bugs from their chests and abdomens. These bugs, akin to sharp arrows, targeted the hearts of everyone present!

“Ah—!”

“Ah—!”

Screams echoed one after another. Except for Huo Yao, everyone else covered their hearts, screaming in pain as they huddled on the ground.

In the carriage, Mu Rong was shocked. “What is that?”

Xie Zuo said disdainfully, “Heart-eating bugs, it can only live in the hearts of humans and animals, eating from them. Let’s see who’s behind this.”

Xie Zuo opened the door, jumping out of the carriage. The fallen soldiers stood up, kneeling in unison to thank him. “Thank you, Your Highness, for saving us!”

Despite being attacked by heart-eating insects, the soldiers survived. They had collected Xie Zuo’s charms as instructed, which prevented the surprise attack, burning the insects upon contact.

Xie Zuo snorted. “It’s not over yet!” He bit his index finger, wiping it on his forehead. When he opened his eyes, he saw invisible Gu silk floating in the air.

Gu silk, formed by condensing the caster’s heart and soul, could control all things if it reached its peak. It served as the basic medium for performing advanced Gu magic.

These invisible silkworms controlled the heart-eating insects. Now that the insects had died suddenly, the silkworms floated like silk, awaiting the caster’s next instruction.

Xie Zuo raised his right hand, a small whirlwind emerging from his palm, sucking in all the Gu silk.

He clasped his hands together, condensing the Gu silk into one force, feeling resistance from the caster.

“How dare a mere trickster try anything in front of me!”

The culmination of the voodoo technique was the puppet technique. In the past, Xie Zuo, devoid of demonic power, subdued a pack of wolves in Beiyuan Mountain using the puppet technique. Today, he naturally feared no mortal adept in voodoo. Now, he must let this Gu silk pierce the opponent’s heart and soul directly, shattering the troublemaker who dared to hide in the dark!

However, during the confrontation, Xie Zuo quickly realized the opponent had sought help, and a potent divine power counterattacked through the Gu silk with murderous intent!

“Your Highness!” Mu Rong noticed Xie Zuo’s changed expression and blood flowing from his mouth, sensing a grave situation.

Huo Yao rushed forward, gripping Xie Zuo’s waist and elbow.

Xie Zuo felt his arm go numb as a bolt of lightning surged through it, attacking the enemy along the Gu silk like a fierce dragon.

.

In a dark room, thunder and lightning suddenly flashed, followed by two screams.

One person clutched his heart, struggling in pain, while the other fell to his knees, rising after a moment.

“Master, what’s happening?”

“I warned you not to attack Yunzhao Kingdom recklessly! If not for my intervention just now, you’d be in dire straits!”

“…I refuse to accept it! I am a destined person and Yunzhao can’t defeat me!”

“To achieve greatness, patience is key. Yunzhao’s mysterious background must be investigated. Moreover, he has Huo Yao’s support. Remember, in future conflicts between nations, Huo Yao must be captured alive. His death would trigger a premature return, spelling doom for us. Let him wander the human world, entangled with Yunzhao, forever banished from interfering!”