"Enough!"
The calm yet commanding voice echoed, carrying an irresistible authority. The Ghost Cobra's ferocious expression paled, its massive tail gripped by a withered, aged hand. Though frail-looking, the grip was a vice, radiating a chilling sense of death.
Lu Lao, the unassuming coachman, stood revealed. His cloudy eyes bore the weight of years, his presence unyielding. Lan An's gaze sharpened, retracting his soul sense, a spark of wariness igniting within. He hadn't expected the seemingly Fusion Realm elder to hide his true strength—a perfected Refining Void cultivator.
Had Lan An probed fully, he might have noticed earlier. But playing the dying victim, he couldn't risk detection. He'd nearly intervened to save the White Bird Legion, only for Lu Lao to steal the moment. His chance to repay the princess's kindness would have to wait.
The princess's status demanded reassessment. Who could command a perfected Refining Void expert as a mere coachman? Few in the realm could claim such authority.
Lu Lao stood in the void, his aura concealed, yet the battlefield fell silent. The tide turned decisively. Even the Blazing Tiger and Yu Chen paused their clash.
Yu Chen's face darkened. He knew Lu Lao's strength, but needing the elder's intervention to preserve his legion stung his pride. Each White Bird and soldier was a precious asset of the White Sand Dynasty, cultivated with immense resources. Lu Lao, loyal to the dynasty, wouldn't let them perish if he could act.
The air grew heavy. The Ghost Cobra, rigid with tension, turned to Lu Lao, hissing, "What? You think your strength lets you run rampant in Autumn Pine Forest?"
Its voice betrayed deep wariness. Yu Chen alone had pushed them to their limits; now, a perfected Refining Void expert tipped the scales further. The tiger and cobra, territorial lords of this forest, had attacked because the dynasty's brazen flight overhead insulted their domain. Beasts prized their territory—unauthorized intrusion, especially so arrogantly, was a provocation. The dynasty was in the wrong.
Before Lu Lao could respond, Yu Chen gripped his Black War Spear, sneering at the beasts. "In this world, the strong rule. The weak yield. We merely passed through—submit, or die!"
With Lu Lao's backing, Yu Chen saw the beasts' Sixth-Rank hides and claws as a fortune ripe for the taking. In his youth, even Lan An had hunted beasts for spirit stones.
Yu Chen's words were a spark to gunpowder, enraging the beasts. Their bloodshot eyes burned, craving to tear him apart. Roaring in unison, they bellowed, "Autumn Pine Forest isn't lawless, nor your dynasty's playground. You dare strut here?"
"ROAR!"
"HISS!"
"SCREECH!"
As if answering a primal call, distant roars echoed from the forest's depths, brimming with power. Though beasts often clashed among themselves, an outsider's arrogance united them.
Figures emerged from the shadows—agile apes, majestic lions, soaring eagles. Dozens of Sixth-Rank beasts appeared, including two at perfected Sixth-Rank, matching Lu Lao's strength.
"Arrogant brat, this is our domain!" a mountain-sized Stone Ape rumbled, wielding a massive iron-hard pillar, its eyes locked on Yu Chen.
"You're right, Ape. We may clash, but humans flaunting in our forest? Let's see if my vines are sharp enough," a Blade Slaughter Tree Demon boomed, its towering form shaking, razor-sharp vines slicing the air.
"Well said, Seniors!" the Blazing Tiger roared, retreating to the beast ranks, glaring venomously at Yu Chen.
The White Bird Legion paled, and Yu Chen's fists clenched, his body trembling. His pride had summoned a horde of terrifying beasts. Other powerful beasts had watched the battle, wary of the dynasty's reputation, but Yu Chen's arrogance—on their turf—was unforgivable.
"Reckless fool!" Lu Lao's face darkened, his judgment of Yu Chen harsh.
Lan An, observing, recalled his own clash with united beasts on Dark Origin Continent. Beasts, though often rivals, rallied against outsiders. The dynasty's provocation had sparked this crisis.
The princess in the ornate carriage remained silent, showing no intent to intervene. "Release it!" the Stone Ape demanded, eyeing the Ghost Cobra in Lu Lao's grip. Despite no ties to the snake, beast pride was at stake.
"Release it! Release it!" the beasts roared, their pressure overwhelming Lu Lao's.
Lu Lao's aged eyes narrowed, holding the massive cobra with a comical contrast. He glanced at the carriage, awaiting orders.
"Lu Lao, please release this Snake Clan uncle," a gentle voice flowed from the carriage, pure as a clear stream, soothing all who heard it.
The voice carried an uncanny sincerity, softening the beasts' ferocity. Even the frenzied Ghost Cobra relaxed at being called "Snake Clan uncle" with respect. Lu Lao nodded, saying softly, "My apologies."
His withered hand released the cobra, which slithered free. "Thanks, Seniors, and all of you!" it hissed, bowing to the Stone Ape, Blade Slaughter Tree Demon, and the beast horde. Without them, it would've perished.
The tense atmosphere dissolved, the princess's words dispelling hostility. The carriage curtain parted, revealing a delicate figure.
All eyes froze, minds whispering: Angel.
The maiden wore a white dress, her short platinum hair shimmering, skin like winter snow, lips a delicate red, cheeks faintly flushed. Her eyes, pure as stars, held no impurity. Barefoot, her lotus-like feet and dainty toes were flawless, untouched by dust.
"White Sand Dynasty's Little Princess, Bai Lian Hua, sincerely apologizes," she said, her voice fragrant, bowing slightly to the beasts. "The fault is mine. Please hold me accountable, not these people. They only wished to protect me."
Her sincerity vaporized the lingering hostility. The Blazing Tiger's fury softened, its wounds forgotten. Lan An's eyes narrowed, his battle intent calmed by her voice. This sixteen-year-old wielded an extraordinary power.
"Good Charm, a rare gift!" Jin Ni appeared on Lan An's shoulder, her small face stunned, staring at Bai Lian Hua.
"Explain," Lan An urged, intrigued.
Jin Ni didn't disappoint, chattering, "Good Charm is a heaven-born voice that sways emotions and minds. Fully mastered, it can control living beings with mere words. Even in the Immortal Realm, it's a once-in-a-millennium rarity. She doesn't even know her gift's true power—her words are purely heartfelt."
Lan An was stunned. Controlling minds with a voice? How terrifying was that? "Because Good Charm is so overpowering, its bearers are hunted by great powers for good or ill," Jin Ni continued. "Born on a low-tier world like Viet Dragon Star is her fortune, or her fate would be unpredictable."
Lan An nodded. A force wielding Good Charm held a trump card; those without would stop at nothing to eliminate it. "There are types—Good Charm, Evil Charm, Demonic Charm, Immortal Charm—each with unique effects," Jin Ni added. "Bai Lian Hua has Good Charm."
Lan An inhaled deeply. The world held countless mysteries. Swept by the Void Storm, he'd stumbled upon a Good Charm bearer. Her voice had pacified the beasts, a feat she seemed unaware of.
Not stopping there, Bai Lian Hua approached the wounded tiger and cobra, ignoring Yu Chen's cry of "Princess, it's dangerous!" She nodded calmly, vanishing in a blur of speed, her cultivation clearly formidable.
Before the stunned crowd, she gently fed healing pills to the beasts and applied medicinal salve to their wounds. The fearsome creatures, docile under her touch, felt no urge to resist, their anger fading.
The battlefield, once thick with killing intent, transformed under a sixteen-year-old's grace. The dynasty's people and beasts watched, breathless, afraid to disturb her.
Lan An, witnessing this dreamlike miracle, could only marvel. "Good Charm? Truly terrifying!"