Lin Moyu fell right into the trap. Hearing Ye Liuyun claim there were no more savage beasts around, his confidence swelled even more.

"Taking a few Second Heaven Realm warriors should be more than enough to finish him off!" He was already mentally shortlisting candidates.

After the trio returned to the Chief Commander’s residence, Lin Moyu didn’t even bother with formalities—he immediately set off to make preparations.

Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun followed Lin Xiaoxiao inside. Since Lin Fengzhi was out patrolling the city, the two waited for his return while chatting. Lin Xiaoxiao, brimming with curiosity about Ye Liuyun’s involvement in the war, kept pressing him for battlefield stories.

Ye Liuyun brushed her off, saying he had only worked with beasts in the rear and never saw actual combat. After that, he had little else to say, mostly listening as Lin Xiaoxiao prattled on about trivial matters.

He endured the small talk until Lin Fengzhi finally returned, granting him relief. Lin Fengzhi, too, was puzzled—why would Ye Liuyun suddenly volunteer to help Lin Xiaoxiao hunt savage beasts?

*"Is this young master Ye really so idle?"* Lin Fengzhi wondered silently.

Still, since Ye Liuyun had offered, he saw no reason to refuse. Whatever the man’s motives, securing a Dominator-level beast was a win either way.

"Should I arrange an escort for you two?" Lin Fengzhi asked.

"No need," Ye Liuyun assured him. "With me there, Xiaoxiao will be perfectly safe."

"Just the two of you?" Lin Fengzhi pressed, his curiosity tinged with suspicion. He even began questioning whether Ye Liuyun had ulterior motives toward his daughter. As for Ye Liuyun’s rumored closeness with the princess, he had once doubted it too—but given the man’s outsider status, he dismissed the idea.

At this, Lin Xiaoxiao’s cheeks flushed faintly. She, for one, was more than happy to spend time alone with Ye Liuyun.

Noticing her reaction, Ye Liuyun quickly clarified, "I happened to need more beasts, and since I ran into Xiaoxiao, I thought I’d bring her along. If you’re uneasy, feel free to assign guards to her."

He couldn’t outright admit he was baiting Lin Moyu—after all, he had no proof yet. The best he could do was play it off as coincidence.

Lin Xiaoxiao, however, tugged impatiently at her father’s sleeve, silently scolding him for meddling.

Seeing this, Lin Fengzhi also chuckled, "With Mr. Ye here, what do I have to worry about? Since you’ve taken a liking to Xiaoxiao, by all means, go ahead. I’m completely at ease!"

The implication behind "taken a liking to Xiaoxiao" was far too suggestive.

Ye Liuyun felt like crying but had no tears left to shed, realizing there was no way to clear up this misunderstanding now.

"Forget it. No point explaining. They’ll understand once we’re back!"

"Shall we leave now?" Lin Xiaoxiao, eager to keep her father from meddling in her affairs, was ready to follow Ye Liuyun immediately.

"Fine by me!" Ye Liuyun also preferred to get this over with as soon as possible.

"Haha, alright then, off you go!" Lin Fengzhi laughed as he saw his daughter even more enthusiastic than Ye Liuyun, escorting them out of the Commander’s residence.

Ye Liuyun strode ahead, while Lin Xiaoxiao trailed behind like a dutiful little wife, silently admiring his tall, retreating figure.

"Please don’t let this turn into trouble..." Ye Liuyun noticed her lovestruck demeanor and inwardly groaned. He quickly struck up a conversation to distract her from any romantic notions. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

At the same time, he extended his spiritual sense, searching for Lin Moyu’s presence.

"Why hasn’t he caught up yet?" he wondered suspiciously.

It wasn’t until they reached the city gates that he finally spotted Lin Moyu.

As a minor captain among the city guards, Lin Moyu had long prepared for this moment, waiting at the gates for their departure.

When he saw Ye Liuyun and Lin Xiaoxiao together, jealousy burned in his chest.

"Hmph! Just the two of you, sneaking off together—do you really think no one can guess what you’re up to?"

"Lin Xiaoxiao, after all the effort I’ve put into winning you over... Don’t even dream of getting cozy with him. Once we reach our destination, I won’t give you two a single chance!"

Lin Xiaoxiao also spotted Lin Moyu but deliberately ignored him, afraid he might ruin her plans. She didn’t even bother with a greeting, simply brushing past him as if he didn’t exist.

Ye Liuyun, sensing Lin Moyu’s presence with his divine sense, finally relaxed. Once they left the city, he summoned his ferocious hunting falcon instead of boarding a warship. Being cooped up in a warship would only make the atmosphere between them more awkward.

Lin Xiaoxiao, oblivious to his thoughts, was thrilled at the idea of flying on the falcon. Without hesitation, she climbed aboard with Ye Liuyun, and they took off.

Not long after their departure, Lin Moyu—assuming Ye Liuyun’s divine sense could no longer detect him—quickly gathered his men and boarded a flying vessel, chasing after them with unwavering confidence.

Little did he know, Ye Liuyun’s divine sense far surpassed his own. Even at this distance, without even activating his golden pupils, he could sense Lin Moyu’s pursuit.

"Perfect," Ye Liuyun murmured to himself, nodding in satisfaction. He settled cross-legged on the falcon’s back, shielding Lin Xiaoxiao from the wind as he closed his eyes in meditation.

At first, Lin Xiaoxiao gazed around in wide-eyed wonder, but soon she attempted to mimic Ye Liuyun’s composed posture. Restless, however, she only pretended for a while before her attention drifted back to him. She stared dreamily at his back, lost in thought.

Ye Liuyun, meanwhile, had already sunk deep into cultivation. The falcon, no slouch in spiritual perception either, kept a steady watch on the trailing vessel. It deliberately maintained a moderate speed, ensuring the pursuers neither fell too far behind nor closed the gap.

Days later, they arrived at their destination—a desolate planet, the last untouched world Ye Liuyun had left behind. He had half a mind to claim it for himself this time, even if he had to delegate the task to other beasts.

"Tired?" Ye Liuyun asked Lin Xiaoxiao. "Let’s rest first. I’ll grill some meat for you—once we’ve eaten, we’ll hunt some beasts." His real intention, of course, was to wait for Lin Moyu to catch up.

"Sure! I’ll do whatever you say!" Lin Xiaoxiao replied sweetly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She assumed Ye Liuyun had brought her here alone for... other reasons. And truth be told, she was more than eager, subtly hinting as much in her tone.

Ye Liuyun paid no mind. After landing, he promptly started a fire and began roasting meat.

"Here, try this," he said, handing her a skewer. "My grilling skills are unmatched."

"Okay!" Lin Xiaoxiao accepted it, taking a tentative bite at first. But soon, all pretense of ladylike restraint vanished as she devoured it with gusto, lavishing praise between mouthfuls.

"This is amazing! Even better than our family’s chefs! The flavor is so unique!"

"Of course," Ye Liuyun chuckled. "I blended the spices myself."

"You made the seasoning?" For a fleeting moment, Lin Xiaoxiao wondered if he had laced the meat with something. But then she dismissed the thought—even if he had, she wouldn’t have minded. Besides, the meat was too delicious to resist.