Chapter 113: Your Mount Is Quite Mischievous

Against a backdrop of incessant, high-pitched screaming, Yu Yan remained calm and composed.

As if nothing were amiss, she explained her "harvest" from the long day to Yu Lei and the others—though she hadn't captured a single Grade Five monster, she had been lucky enough to acquire a Grade Seven mount.

Well, that was the Blue-Crystal Giant Lizard currently "playing" with Lou Yuhui!

Was that really playing?

Yu Lei and the others looked on, stunned. They cast sympathetic glances toward the air above, where Lou Yuhui was being tossed around like a ball. It was unclear how he had offended Yu Yan, or perhaps how he had displeased the terrifying giant lizard, but after seeing his fate, none of the six in their party dared to test the beast’s temper, regardless of how harmless and approachable "Little Blue" appeared to be.

The blood on Yu Yan’s clothes, she claimed, was from the lizard during their struggle—a white lie. Her own wounds were mostly healed, and there was no point in worrying the others. Once the twins were reassured, they immediately turned into curious children.

In just one hour that morning, she had brought back four Grade Five pegasi, one of which was at the peak of its grade. If she had done nothing else all afternoon but tame a Grade Seven mount, it would have been illogical. Yu Yan must have experienced something truly miraculous, perhaps even dangerous. The process must have been pulse-pounding!

Yu Wei and the others were naturally curious as well. However, unlike the twins, they lacked the natural bond of siblings and did not feel entitled to demand answers. They felt a mix of profound gratitude and underlying fear toward Yu Yan, so they didn't dare to overstep. Instead, they simply sat in a circle around Yu Yan and the twins, their eyes fixed on her.

The sun set and the moon rose, stars shimmering in the distance. The light in the grove grew dim. After recounting her afternoon, Yu Yan felt her throat go dry. She pulled out a large, pear-shaped spirit fruit and was about to take a bite. The fruit had minimal spiritual energy, barely reaching Grade One, but it was crisp, refreshing, and full of juice—a bit like an apple from before the world changed, only much larger.

Suddenly, a deathly pale face, full of grievance, leaned in close to her. "Lady Yan..."

Truth be told, Yu Yan was startled and nearly threw a punch. Fortunately, she reacted quickly, realizing it was her subordinate. "L-Little Lou? How did you end up like this?"

"How did I end up like this?"

"You have the nerve to ask?"

Lou Yuhui looked utterly miserable. He pointed a finger at Little Blue, who had finished playing and was now lounging on the ground as if nothing had happened. His lips trembled, and he finally withdrew his finger with a shudder. "Oh, it's nothing. Your mount is just... very playful."

"It must really like me. It was just having a bit of fun."

The Blue-Crystal Giant Lizard’s actions were clearly with Yu Yan’s tacit approval. Lou Yuhui had seen how clever the creature was along the way; one displeased look from Yu Yan was enough to make it behave. Yet, Lou Yuhui didn't hold a grudge. After being "played with" for so long, he had come to a realization. The lizard was only willing to carry him because of Yu Yan. He had been arrogant, hiding behind her authority and pushing his luck while the lizard was forced to hold back.

He had thought it was because he liked the powerful mount, but to the lizard, he had been dancing on the edge of death. If not for Yu Yan, a few bites would have been a light punishment. Instead, the lizard hadn't even scratched his skin; each time he was tossed into the air, it caught him, carefully avoiding its own bone spurs and even softening its back to ensure he wasn't bruised.

Every time he thought about this, Lou Yuhui’s cheek twitched. He really didn't want that kind of "considerate" care! But he understood now: Yu Yan was warning him. He might be her subordinate, but the Blue-Crystal Giant Lizard was her mount. A subordinate, no matter how loyal, could never be as close as a life-bound companion. He had overstepped, and this was his punishment.

Having reached this clarity, the grievance vanished from his face. "Lady Yan, I was wrong. I will go apologize to the Giant Blue now."

The lizard’s name was Little Blue, given by Yu Yan, and Lou Yuhui didn't dare use that. He had come up with a title that sounded substantial yet remained connected to her choice.

Yu Yan was bewildered. What just happened? Little Lou had been so aggrieved, and she had felt a bit guilty! Why the sudden apology? But she decided to let them handle their own affairs. Whether Little Blue had bullied Little Lou or vice versa, as long as no one was truly hurt, she wouldn't interfere.

Yu Yan nodded. "Oh, go ahead then."

Upon reflection, she still felt a twinge of guilt. After all, Little Blue had "played" with him for a long time, and she had been biased toward her mount. But she had no choice; even if the lizard was respectful now, it was still a Grade Seven peak-level entity. She couldn't constantly use soul-fire to suppress it, or trouble would eventually arise.

She felt it best to appease Little Lou. "Little Lou, take this fruit. The spiritual energy is mediocre, but it’s good for quenching thirst."

Yu Yan handed him the pear-shaped fruit and took another for herself, crunching into it. The sweet juice soothed her throat. As she felt relieved, she looked up and met the hungry gazes of Yu Lei and the others.

*Ah, I forgot about them!*

Fortunately, she had plenty. The pear tree she had transplanted into her spirit-plant world was incredibly prolific. The branches were laden with fruit, far more than she and Yun Duo’er could ever eat. She enjoyed the refreshing taste and kept hundreds of pounds of ripe fruit in her storage space. She tossed two more to the twins. "You guys can share these."

If not for her concern for Lou Yuhui’s feelings, she would have given out more. But giving him one as a consolation and then handing them out to everyone else would have been awkward. She valued Lou Yuhui and was willing to give him special treatment.

"Thank you, Sister Yan."

Yu Wei and the others didn't overthink it. It was only natural that Yu Yan treated them differently than Lou Yuhui. He was the strongest among them, his sword skills peerless; without him, they wouldn't have survived. As for the twins, they understood her intentions and would never dream of undermining their own sister.

As the group happily gathered to share the fruit, Yu Yan felt a sense of relief. In her past life, she had been a nobody, a weakling. In this life, through a series of coincidences, people had gathered around her, and she had been pushed into a leadership role. Honestly, this was something she never could have imagined when she was reborn—back then, all she wanted was to use her own abilities to keep her daughter alive.