In the darkness, their figures appeared even more resolute under the moonlight. The fragrance of the flowers in the back garden seemed even stronger, and the sound of the breeze rustling through the leaves seemed to sing a song of their decision.
Qi Guze gently ruffled Xu Yuehuai's hair. "Okay, I'll take you away now!"
Suddenly, Qi Guze's fingers gently gripped Xu Yuehuai's waist, and a warm current surged through him, as if to envelop his entire body.
Xu Yuehuai's heartbeat rang in Qi Guze's ears, as if telling him that at this moment they were together, and no one could separate them. Qi Guze put his arm around Xu Yuehuai's waist, used his lightness skill, and instantly disappeared from the spot, flying towards the exit of the Mingyue Kingdom's palace.
Behind them were high palace walls and endless darkness. Xu Yuehuai closed her eyes tightly, as if this could temporarily make her forget the reality of her perilous situation.
However, just as they were about to fly out of the palace, footsteps and shouts came from all directions.
Just a quarter of an hour earlier, at the height of the banquet, a sharp and alert glint flashed in Bei Ye's eyes. He seemed to have sensed something, gently put down his wine glass, and calmly whispered a few words to the guard beside him.
The guards received their orders, quietly withdrew, and disappeared into the brightly lit banquet crowd.
Inside the banquet hall, elegantly dressed women mingled, and glasses clinked in celebration. However, Bei Ye was completely unable to immerse himself in the atmosphere; his gaze constantly roamed through the crowd, as if searching for something.
His brows furrowed, his expression serious, clearly pondering the matter. Time ticked by, and finally the guard returned, reporting gravely to Bei Ye: "Your Majesty, Miss Yue is missing."
Bei Ye's eyes instantly sharpened, and his hands gripped the armrests of the chair tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white.
At the same time, the Zhou Kingdom envoy who had been sitting in a corner of the hall also disappeared.
At this moment, Bei Ye had a bad feeling.
His eyes swept quickly across the banquet hall, trying to find any clues. He knew in his heart that this matter was anything but simple.
"Search for Miss Yue and the missing envoy immediately!" Bei Ye gave the order decisively. Although his voice was not loud, it was full of unquestionable authority.
The guards obeyed and left, and the atmosphere at the banquet instantly became tense.
The lights in the hall seemed to dim as the atmosphere changed.
The guests' laughter and chatter gradually faded, replaced by a tense but orderly search operation.
Bei Ye stood rooted to the spot, his gaze deep and resolute, yet his heart was churning with complex emotions. He knew that an unknown storm was brewing.
The bright lights illuminated the entire palace, as well as the escapees Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai.
A resolute glint flashed in Qi Guze's eyes, and he tightened his grip on Xu Yuehuai's arm.
"Ah Yue, be careful!" Qi Guze's voice was deep and firm, as if a force had entered Xu Yuehuai's heart. They ran wildly, passing through one corridor and courtyard after another.
Behind him, Bei Ye's guards pursued relentlessly. Their footsteps echoed clearly in the empty palace. Xu Yuehuai's heart was filled with fear and helplessness, but he knew he couldn't give up, he couldn't let Qi Guze face all of this alone.
They arrived at a garden, and Qi Guze suddenly stopped. Xu Yuehuai was puzzled, but Qi Guze's eyes told her that now was not the time to speak.
They hid behind a rockery, their heartbeats ringing in their ears once more. Xu Yuehuai could feel Qi Guze's breath gently brushing against her face, a tender comfort.
Meanwhile, Bei Ye's guards also arrived in the garden. They searched everywhere for Xu Yuehuai and the missing envoy.
Their footsteps grew closer, and Xu Yuehuai's heart pounded faster. He closed his eyes tightly, hoping to disappear into the darkness.
"They must be here!" a guard's voice rang out, as if he had discovered something. A layer of fine sweat broke out on Xu Yuehuai's forehead, but he felt Qi Guze's fingers gently tracing his waist, as if telling him not to be afraid.
Just then, a slight sound came from above, indicating that someone had triggered a mechanism in the garden. Immediately afterward, a huge leaf fell from the sky, obscuring Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze.
They huddled together, not daring to move an inch. The guards rushed toward the source of the sound, but then another sound of a mechanism being activated rang out, leading them in another direction.
Taking advantage of the situation, Qi Guze pulled Xu Yuehuai and ran towards the exit. Behind them, the guards shouted in anger and disappointment. Finally, they escaped the palace and arrived in a dense forest outside the city.
Qi Guze released his arm from Xu Yuehuai's and turned to look at him. Xu Yuehuai also looked at Qi Guze, their eyes filled with relief and emotion at surviving such a close call.
"Are you alright?" Qi Guze asked softly.
Xu Yuehua nodded. "I'm fine." His voice trembled slightly, but it was filled with excitement and emotion. "Thank you for leading me out of the lion's den."
Qi Guze smiled gently. "We don't need to say these things between us." His eyes were full of tenderness. "As long as you're doing well, I'm satisfied."
"Then let's hurry on our way to Wuling Kingdom to find Bao'er and the others!" Xu Yuehuai held Qi Guze's hand tightly.
"good!"
Qi Guze immediately ordered his men to drive the carriage over, and then they all boarded the carriage and headed towards Wuling Kingdom.
The atmosphere in the banquet hall of the Underworld Moon Kingdom was extremely tense.
Bei Ye stared at the guards in front of him with a livid face. His eyes were as sharp as knives, as if he wanted to cut them all.
He swung his hand sharply, and the wine glass in his hand instantly smashed to the ground, shattering into countless pieces, like a silent protest.
The entire banquet hall seemed to freeze instantly, and all the officials knelt on the ground in terror, not daring to even breathe.
They knew that Bei Ye's fury was not unfounded. When the guards reported that they had not found any trace of Xu Yuehuai and the envoy from the Great Zhou Kingdom, Bei Ye already had a bad feeling.
"She must have run off with someone!" Bei Ye said through gritted teeth, a fierce glint in his eyes. "Go after her right now!"
The guards sprang into action at his command, only to be met with a sudden wave of Bei Ye's hand. "Search in the direction of the Great Zhou Kingdom!"
His voice revealed an indescribable anxiety.
However, fate seemed to be playing a cruel joke on Bei Ye. His men chased after Xu Yuehuai in the direction of the Great Zhou Kingdom, but they were unable to find any trace of him.
Meanwhile, Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze chatted and laughed amidst the jolting of the carriage. Their destination was not the Great Zhou Kingdom, but the Wuling Kingdom.
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