Ningyan froze.

Of all beasts. He had not expected to see him here.

The peacock beast stood across the chamber, his bearing as elegant as before. Though his tail was not unfurled, there was no concealing that striking presence.

Recognition flashed in his eyes, then softened into a smile. "Su Ningyan."

Jun Haoxuan and Yan Wuhen both froze, their gazes shifting sharply between them.

"You know each other?" Jun Haoxuan asked.

Ningyan’s heartbeat stumbled. For a fleeting moment, he did not know what to say.

How was he meant to explain their encounter?

They almost slept together.

Tang Ruifeng parted his lips.

Ningyan’s expression tightened.

"We crossed paths in Water City," Tang Ruifeng said calmly.

Ningyan almost exhaled in relief.

"...I see." Jun Haoxuan’s gaze lingered, thoughtful but he did not press further.

Ningyan straightened, recovering his composure.

"You all know each other, then?" he asked, turning the focus away.

"He is a prince of the Peacock Clan," Yan Wuhen replied, already slipping closer, his tails brushing against Ningyan’s cheek.

Tang Ruifeng’s smile deepened.

He was now very familiar with Ningyan, just like everyone else in the various realms.

Ningyan didn’t dwell on it.

Instead, he turned back toward the shelf.

"That carving," he said, pointing at the phoenix carving. "It activates a spatial formation."

He stopped just short of touching it this time.

Jun Haoxuan stepped closer, golden eyes narrowing slightly as he observed the faint residual qi.

"Whoever passed through... possessed divine-level strength."

Ningyan nodded.

He had felt it too.

That pressure was not something a lesser beast could leave behind.

Yan Wuhen tilted his head, thoughtful. "Tang Ruifeng is a saint-ranked beast. So who is the other divine beast?"

Tang Ruifeng blinked once, then answered without hesitation.

"I am traveling with my betrothed," he said. "We came to Fire City to visit his elder brother. He stepped out briefly."

Ningyan’s gaze returned to the phoenix carving.

The feather within his robes stirred faintly.

"I believe this can take me to them," he said with full certainty. "I should go."

His husbands exchanged a brief glance before their attention settled on Tang Ruifeng.

The peacock blinked, then lifted a brow. "Ah... am I interrupting something?"

Yan Wuhen’s gaze turned cold.

There was no attempt to hide his displeasure.

Tang Ruifeng only smiled, unbothered. He stepped back and offered a courteous bow. "It seems I arrived at an inconvenient moment. I am certain we will meet again."

The others returned the gesture.

Wuhen did not.

With that, Tang Ruifeng turned and left, his presence fading down the corridor.

Jun Haoxuan stepped further into the chamber, stopping before the display shelf. His gaze lingered on the phoenix carving, sharp and assessing.

"...I do not recognize this formation," he said at last.

Ningyan exhaled slowly, tension settling into his shoulders.

"But one thing is clear," Haoxuan continued, voice low. "Whoever set this... knows of you. And they intended to draw you in."

Ningyan rubbed the back of his neck, brows faintly drawn. "I know. It was reckless." He paused. "But I need to know whether they pose a threat to me... or to us."

His voice softened. "To our family."

Jun Haoxuan’s golden, reptilian eyes gentled at that. "...Yan’er."

He leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to Ningyan’s lips.

Ningyan flushed, caught off guard.

When Haoxuan pulled back, his tone had steadied. "We can leave Fire City, if you wish."

Ningyan shook his head. "Not tonight. We’ll leave tomorrow. There’s no need to alarm the children."

Haoxuan inclined his head in agreement.

Behind them, Yan Wuhen stood unmoving.

His gaze remained focused on the phoenix carving, his eyes narrowed as though tracing something unseen.

But he said nothing as he walked out with Ningyan and Haoxuan.

^°^

By the time they returned to the manor, Lan Meishan and Rong Yue had already settled the children to rest. The halls had quieted, the earlier warmth dimmed into dead calm.

In the main sleeping chamber, Yan Wuhen sat at the center of the room in meditation.

His nine tails fanned out behind him, swaying slowly.

A faint red-gold glow circled his body, steady and controlled, like a quiet flame that refused to extinguish.

Over the past two months, Wuhen had stepped into the Divine Beast stage.

The breakthrough came quietly. It had always been quite inevitable.

Rong Yue sat by the window, idly sipping wine, his posture relaxed yet attentive.

On the bed, Ningyan lay with his head resting on Lan Meishan’s lap, while Jun Haoxuan slept soundly at his side, his breathing slow and even.

Between Ningyan’s fingers, the phoenix feather glowed faintly.

It had become a habit.

Watching it.....

Meishan’s fingers moved gently through his hair, unhurried. His gaze lingered on the feather, its soft light reflecting in his emerald eyes.

"How long do you intend to keep staring at that, Yan’er?" he asked quietly.

Ningyan did not look away.

"I’m thinking about the formation," he said. "If they knew I was following them, then they wanted me to find it. They knew I would notice the carving... and pick it up."

Meishan fell silent for a moment, his expression turning thoughtful.

"...It did resemble phoenix techniques," he said at last. "During the battle with Lan Yunlai, you imitated my spatial technique but this is different."

His fingers paused briefly in Ningyan’s hair.

"This is more precise. Not meant for simple movement... but for guiding their own kind. Drawing them to a fixed point."

Ningyan’s eyes widened.

"They want me to come to them," he murmured and frowned deeply. "Then why conceal themselves?"

Rong Yue lowered his cup, his gaze flickering toward Ningyan. "Because they do not trust you."

Ningyan stared at him. "What did I do to them?"

Rong Yue licked the trace of wine from his lips before continuing,

"Centuries ago, it was the other divine beast clans who turned on the phoenix. And now, you stand bound to all four."

A faint scoff left Ningyan’s throat.

The feather dissolved into his essence, its glow fading from sight.

"And yet..." he muttered, turning his head and burying his face against Meishan’s abdomen, "when I was being hunted by madam Qin, none of them came looking for me."

His voice softened, edged with quiet displeasure. "I do not trust them either."

"You don’t have to, Yan’er," Meishan’s fingers resumed its gentle rhythm in Ningyan’s hair, slower this time.

Ningyan closed his eyes. "Mmmh."