The Prince Can Do Divination

Chapter 230 - 174: Gu Diao Cub, Extraterritorial Avatar of the Throne, The Fourth Divination

In his panic, Lu Mingyuan took the Gu Diao egg out of the Jade Pendant stored within his Acupoints.

Sure enough, he saw a web of cracks spreading across the bird egg, which stood as tall as three men.

"CRACK!"

The cracks widened until a hole finally broke open.

A pink, tender bird’s head poked out of the hole, looking all around, seemingly filled with immense curiosity about the world before it.

The head resembled an eagle’s, with a sharp beak and an angular shape, but it also had a small, hard, black horn. Feathers had yet to grow in, leaving the top of its head bare.

The Human Gu Celestial Eagle also happened to have a horn like this, only much longer.

However, Lu Mingyuan couldn’t help but feel...

’Its eyes are full of a hazy confusion, a kind of... limpid stupidity?’

This was his first time seeing a Demon Beast cub, and it seemed utterly different from the ferocious Great Demons he knew.

Its innocent gaze suggested it had already accepted him as its mother.

The Gu Diao hatchling was only a newborn, yet it was already absurdly large. Standing before Lu Mingyuan, it could have swallowed him whole just by opening its mouth.

But the creature seemed to have no such intention. Instead, it acted adorably, affectionately nuzzling against Lu Mingyuan’s shoulder.

Lu Mingyuan, however, felt deeply frustrated.

’Isn’t it a bit too early for it to hatch?’

At first, he had considered raising it. But when he thought of how much silver it would cost and that he had nowhere to keep it, he had been ready to give up on the idea.

’Might as well have just made soup with the egg and been done with it. At least it would have nourished my body.’

’Could this rapid hatching be thanks to the Ancient Demon Blood?’

Fortunately, the Gu Diao hatchling was being well-behaved and seemed quite obedient.

But soon, Lu Mingyuan would come to regret that conclusion.

The Gu Diao hatchling looked all around, as if searching for something, and a look of disappointment soon filled its eyes.

"SKREEE!"

A terrifying cry erupted, incredibly loud. The rolling sound waves made Lu Mingyuan’s heart clench. He felt that the sound was powerful enough to rupture the eardrums of even a Fifth Realm Martial Artist!

’It was just born and already has such astonishing power?’

’As expected of a Great Demon’s offspring. It must have started its Cultivation in the womb to be this formidable.’

"Don’t cry out! Don’t cry out!"

Lu Mingyuan went pale with alarm. He hurriedly tried to soothe the creature while pulling a prepared Sound Insulation Talisman from his sleeve, hoping to prevent the sound from traveling any further.

’It can’t be hungry, can it?’

’Where am I supposed to find food for it now?’

"Where did that Demon Beast come from? The Demon Race is invading!"

In the end, Lu Mingyuan’s Sound Insulation Talisman was a step too slow. The sound wave had already spread. A petite young woman descended at the rear of the Human Race’s camp, clad in orange-red Fire Armor, her expression solemn.

It was none other than the Nanli Princess, Li Muwan.

Flames surged over her Li Flame Treasure Armor, and an exquisite sword and shield immediately materialized in her hands as she stood ready for battle.

This was the Southern Ming Lihuo Armor, ranked ninth on the Ten Thousand Treasures Divine Weapons Record.

Forged with a Vermilion Bird Feather, it possessed mystical properties, including the ability to transform, and was an ancestral Magical Treasure of the Nanli Dynasty.

"Eldest Princess, hold your fire! It’s my pet!"

Seeing this, Lu Mingyuan sighed in exasperation, pressing a hand to his forehead as he shouted to stop her.

"A pet?" Li Muwan stared at the immense Gu Diao hatchling before her, her eyes filled with disbelief.

In the span of just ten breaths, while Lu Mingyuan shielded it, the Gu Diao hatchling darted over to the pile of Demon Race corpses. It burrowed among them and began to feast. A moment later, scale-like feathers sprouted and covered its entire body.

Its head began to look more like an eagle’s, and its appearance grew increasingly majestic.

Just as Lu Mingyuan was about to explain the egg’s origins, he realized that he had an audience.

The Princes and Princesses from the other Dynasties had come to see the commotion, as well as some of the Daoists in charge of the camp’s defense.

"It’s a Human Gu Celestial Eagle hatchling!"

"What a rare species! I heard that even as a juvenile, its combat strength can rival that of a Grandmaster."

"To think that Prince Huai’an of Great Yan has such a pet. It’s enough to make anyone envious."

Lu Mingyuan cupped his fist and patiently explained, "I found this Gu Diao egg in the forest; it was a fortunate Opportunity. I never expected it to hatch so quickly. I apologize for disturbing all of you."

"What a majestic Gu Diao. It’s quite rare. However, their temperament is cruel and violent, making them difficult to raise to adulthood. Prince Huai’an, why not sell it to me?" said the Crown Prince of Great Sui, Cao Zongxi, stepping forward with a smile.

Lu Mingyuan shook his head. "I have no intention of selling it, but I appreciate Great Sui’s kind offer."

"Who can testify that Your Highness simply found this hatchling? What if you are in league with the Demon Race? Wouldn’t that mean the Human Race’s main camp is at risk of being attacked from both inside and out?"

This extremely harsh accusation was something the various princes and nobles of the Dynasties had not expected.

Prince Huai’an was the Sixth Prince of Great Yan.

His status was exalted.

Even though he had been accidentally dragged into this affair and his personal strength was low, he still had the backing and protection of the Three Academies, led by the Thunder Pool Daoist Academy.

Who would dare offend him?

The speaker, surprisingly, was Wuxun, the Prince of Silver Frost from the Great Frost Dynasty.

Lu Mingyuan’s gaze shifted to a refined, handsome man wearing a tall coronet and a jade hairpin.

Before he could even speak, Cao Zongxi spoke up in Lu Mingyuan’s defense. He smiled and said, "This is Prince Huai’an we’re talking about. If you’re going to be suspicious, you should at least pick a more suitable target."

"Exactly. If raising one Demon Beast makes you a spy for the Demon Race, then what about the Celestial Dragon in the Prince of Silver Frost’s own Dragon Bracelet? Does that make him a spy too?" Princess Jinwu, Luo Qiufu, who had appeared at some point, added as she elegantly stepped forward.

Wuxun was rather surprised to see everyone taking Lu Mingyuan’s side, and his brow furrowed slightly.

Just then, Lu Mingyuan noticed something.

As he looked at Wuxun’s face, he vaguely saw Literary Qi flowing around it. The four words ’A lie told thrice’ flashed past and vanished.