"The crown prince is wise and has shown true qualities of a great emperor, may the empire bask in the glory its future brings…"

Everyone also gave their compliments and before long everyone departed with joy; some ready to spread the great news about the crown prince whilst others ready to narrate the entire 'War God Trials' in complete and perfect details…

​​

Min Hong and Tong Tian walked up to the wait quad of Mu Bai, Mu Li, Kun Chao and Mu Li, and they all took turns to greet and welcome Tong Tian with a very big smile…

"Let's return… we don't want to spoil the surprise for him now, would we?"

Kun Lin told Little Ming who begrudgingly followed her and the Cui guard back to Min Hong's apartment…

She had waited and survived this long just because she wanted to come home, and there were many occasions where she had encountered beasts stronger, smarter or trickier than she was, but all in all, she usually reminded herself that there was someone she had to get back to, and now that she was less than move away from that person, she was told that she had to wait once again…

But she still heeded Kun Lin and crawled up to the Cui Guard's ears before biting on it and transforming into an earring, and the painful whelp the guard made elated her so much that she didn't think much of her longing feeling anymore…

"This is Fei Long, Mu Li, Mu Bai and Kun Chao… That is the order with which they joined our group…"

Min Hong introduced all of them, and for some reasons, Tong Tian and the rest seemed to hit it off rather nicely…

Perhaps, because of the good sportsmanship attitude he had displayed earlier by allowing Min Hong recover his energy so that they could battle squarely and fairly…

"Alright, I think we should return home… My body aches immensely…" Min Hong spoke whilst looking towards Tong Tian with a grin…

Not only had he truly worked Min Hong to his bones and core, he had even spurred Min Hong's potential and caused him to achieve breakthroughs on many fronts...

Thus, Min Hong was really appreciative, and has now begun to think that it might be better if he duelled, sparred or battle anyone with an equivalent level of power, that might actually help him get stronger faster than he had anticipated…

"I need to go get our winnings and rewards…"

Mu Li spoke up with a huge grin on his face, he was truly going to enjoy the next agenda on their plan after this;

"Follow him and you can as well receive the inner court pack for the advancement of the whole group…"

Min Hong turned to Kun Chao who gave a rest assured grin before departing with Mu Li, whilst the rest of them continued towards Min Hong's apartment…

On their way back, several people began to look towards their group with smiling faces, and some even began to cheer them along the way, but the quad that were returning home weren't people who loved those sort of attention, thus, they stepped on their flying swords, whilst artistic wings unfurled on Min Hong's back as he took to the skies with a flap of his wings…

He was now a core court disciple and no one could tell him not to fly wherever he wanted…

A minute later, they were already at the entrance of the apartment, and before Min Hong could enter, he could sense that the house was full…

He didn't need to look into the house to know; if it is not the heaviness of the aura within the house, it would be the amount of tiny cyclones spinning within the house which would have been too much for Kun Lin, Qing Tan and Min Qing alone…

But what really told him that there were many people within the house was the amount of anticipative gazes that were directed towards the door he was about to step into, and he didn't know who they might be, perhaps it was the grand elders?

The Mu Clan's rats, new fans of his looking to join their group?

He also believed that it couldn't be Elder Long and his magic beasts because they were not due to return for another year, whilst there is a possibility of it being his mother who should have arrived by now, the amount of gaze he could sense from that door were at least seven in number, which didn't add up, except his mother had made some friends on her journey…

There was no way he could have known who it was, and he wouldn't scan the house because it was against their unspoken rule to do so, because someone might think they were alone and be exploring their fetishes or doing something really privately important to them that a second witness shouldn't see…

But there was no point in thinking about it, so he just opened the door, and the sight he saw left him with mixed emotions…

Firstly, were his queens; Qing Tan and Min Qing who were waiting eagerly for him just like the wife of a warrior who was returning from a year long war…

Then there was Elder Long and Elder Yun whose presence greatly shocked him, and lastly were these four new ladies who he had never met before, and from what he could sense, they weren't from around here either…

Not like he knew everyone in the Dogon Empire, but the empire had this general, unspoken way of life he had come to learn and understand, and these ladies were not giving off any one of those vibes at all…

Not even in their mode of dressing…

Then lastly, was this miniature dragon…

Min Hong stared at it for some seconds, and then blinked again before mumbling;

"Now that's strange, Little Ming what happened to you?"

Min Hong asked as Little Ming finally transformed back into her snake form and then dashing into his sleeves, before poking her head out of his sleeves;

"I told you all that it would take nothing for him to identify me…"

Little Ming playfully showed her tongue to Min Qing and co, whilst Min Hong began to caress her head;

"Elder Long!?"

Min Hong walked over before giving a truly gratified bow, and then did the same towards Elder Yun but on a more respectful manner…

Elder Yun might be a magic beast, but she had stood by them throughout their grueling experience, both during the genocide and even now…

"You didn't have to do that young master…"

Elder Yun perched onto Min Hong's shoulder before he could complete the bow…

Then Min Hong looked towards Min Rou and smiled sweetly;

"Mother…"

Min Rou in that moment suddenly felt slightly heartbroken and conflicted, but there was nothing she could do for now…

Asides from the fact that this was not the appropriate moment to talk about it, she felt it was something that would take time, and she didn't wat to rush it, so she simply smiled in response before leaving for the kitchen, Min Hong thinking she was going to prepare the cocktail he so loved for him, but Min Rou actually went there to hide herself from revealing the emotions she was currently feeling…

"Young master…" Elder Long stood up and gave a bow to Long Sha;

"It is great that everyone returned safely, teacher… But where is Yueyao?"

Long Sha asked after looking around and not finding their clan's magic beast…

The moment that happened, Elder Long took to his knees;

"She couldn't survive the training, young master… I am very sorry, and should be punished for pushing all of them too hard…"

Long Sha was initially stunned, disappointed, and hurt that his favorite mount had died, but when he looked towards Elder Yun and Little Ming, and saw how much they have improved, he was instantly reassured that it wasn't anyone's fault but Yueyao herself…

If she had survived the training, then she would have been much stronger than the Elder Yun duo…

But since she died, it would have either meant that she was terribly unlucky or was actually weak, since Little Ming who was the weakest amongst them could even survive and achieve such a massive evolution;

"Did she get a proper burial?"

"Yes, young master…"

Elder Long spoke whilst on his knees before tendering what seemed to be Yueyao's fangs and teeth, all strewn together with a vine from the jungle to make a very valuable necklace…

Long Sha took the necklace and wore it and after touching it and recalling some wonderful memories he had with Yueyao when he was still much younger, he shut his eyes tightly, and everyone within that room could tell that he had lost something very close to him…

"You may rise…" Long Sha said as he took his seat;

"We will have to wait for Mu Li and Kun Chao to arrive before we do or say anything…"

Min Hong explained as they all took resting position whilst they waited for the duo to arrive…