<b>Chapter 832: Dragon-Tiger Monarch</b>
After arriving at the Tie Clan, Long Jingxian continued to stay on the site. The mansion was large so it wasn't a problem to accommodate her. The issue was that she and Jian Wushuang didn't get along; they were just like fire and water. They would argue whenever they met, causing the deserted Tie Clan to become much livelier.
Li Qiye didn't think much of their quarrel. As for the basilisk and the old turtle, they quickly ran away. The two girls weren't people they could afford to mess with.
It hadn't been two days since her arrival before a big character came to visit the Tie Clan. The moment he set foot inside the Heavenly Flame County, others could feel the air changing.
“Someone is here.” The basilisk also felt this presence and looked towards the horizon.
Long Jingxian's expression changed the moment this aura appeared. She tried to flee, but she didn't even manage to make it out of the door as someone was already standing there, blocking the way.
A middle-aged man blocked her escape. He wore a robe decorated with dragons and tigers. Although his clothing was simple, no one would dare to hold him in disdain. He emitted a grand noble aura as if he was a tyrant up high above.
Moreover, faint roars of dragons and tigers quietly came from within his body as if there was a true dragon coiling around him as well as an accompanying white tiger. Anyone would become nervous in his presence due to the auras of these beasts.
“Dragon-Tiger Monarch!” The basilisk exclaimed in shock after seeing the middle-aged man by the door.
“Beastmaster Lord!” The old turtle quivered in fear while hiding in his shell after hearing the name “Dragon-Tiger Monarch”.
“Xiany, where are you running off to?” The middle-aged man stopped Long Jingxian and smiled with a doting expression. [1. Couple of options. I've been playing around more here. Little Xian/Xiao Xian or Xiany. I like Xiany since it sounds like a loving nickname from a father to his daughter. Little Xian would be the most literal.]
“Father, I was only going for a walk to relax, I'm not escaping or anything.” Long Jingxian immediately smiled.
The man ahead was Long Jingxian's father and the lord of the Beastmaster Citadel. People referred to him as the Dragon-Tiger Monarch. He was also the most notable talent from the previous generation of the Stone Medicine World.
The monarch smiled: “You've had your fun so you should come back with me now. Don't make it difficult for Elder Sun's group, you have to be considerate of them. It is already hard for them to follow you around all day on top of worrying about you escaping.”
The monarch was the current ruler of this sect of two emperors. In the last generation, he was a character that reigned over the world as well. However, he could only be described as a loving father in front of his daughter.
“I don't want to go back.” Long Jingxian quickly shook her head: “If I go back, all of you will make me train and learn those stuff. It's so boring, I am not a puppet.”
The monarch gently responded: “The elders only want what's best for you. If you don't train hard, it will be a waste of your talents. Moreover, the citadel has given up a lot for you, so you need to repay the debt.”
The citadel considered Long Jingxian to be their priceless jewel due to her Immortal Fate. It could be said that since her youth, she practiced the best merit laws and had the best treasures.
Although the citadel maintained a low profile, its elders placed a lot of hope on her. In their eyes, as long as she worked hard, surpassing Ye Qingcheng wouldn't be difficult at all.
Alas, she wasn't a fan of cultivation and often slipped out of the citadel to run wild in the world. This made the elders quite helpless.
This time, she had finally managed to escape only to be stopped by her father. Naturally, she didn't want to go back. Her pretty eyes suddenly flashed; a new idea sprung up in her mind, prompting her to grin. She put on a virtuous appearance and hugged the arm of Li Qiye who had been watching on the sideline.
“Father, I'm not going back.” Long Jingxian pulled his arm and said: “I want to marry so I won't be going back to the citadel anymore.”
“Huh…” Tie Lan's group, who was watching at the side, almost choked with their eyes wide open after hearing this.
Long Jingxian continued to hug Li Qiye's arm and gently bowed her head to say: “Father, please forgive your daughter's lack of filial piety. I am madly in love with Young Noble Li. Regardless of whether Father and the citadel agrees or not, I still want to marry him; I plan to elope with him.”
At this moment, she embodied the gentleness of a girl lost in love. Such genuine gentleness could melt anyone's heart.
“How shameless.” Jian Wushuang, who was standing close by, immediately revealed her scheme and snorted: “He already said that he doesn't want to marry you but you keep on harping on this point, do you want a husband that badly?”
Long Jingxian immediately counterattacked: “Bah, this is none of your business. I will marry when I want to! Oh? Don't tell me you like Li Qiye as well and are afraid that I will steal your man? Haha, nothing would be better if you actually like him. I will take him away from you, what are you going to do about it?”
“There is something wrong with your head.” Jian Wushuang gave her a sharp glare and said: “You are the only one who is eager to get married, don't drag me into this.”
“Is that so? How come I smell a strong scent of jealousy.” Long Jingxian provoked her: “Oh well, you were bound to lose by competing against me. Now I definitely want to marry him to annoy you!”
Having said that, she intimately pulled on Li Qiye's arm and grinned.
“Okay, you two, stop quarreling.” The Dragon-Tiger Monarch shook his head: “Xiany, stop pretending. Be good and come back with me.”
The Jian Clan had a good relationship with the Beastmaster Citadel. This was especially true for the monarch and Jian Wushuang's father, the current clan master. Because of this, the two houses often contacted each other.
However, Jian Wushuang and Long Jingxian never got along. If they were together, an argument would surely ensue.
Plus, as the father, how could the monarch not understand his daughter? He naturally knew what she was planning.
“Father, your words are wronging me.” Long Jingxian put on a pitiful and indignant appearance to say: “Didn't you say that if one marries a chicken, then follow the chicken; if one marries a dog, then follow the dog? I want to marry him, so I won't be coming back to the Beastmaster Citadel anymore.” [2. An idiom stating that a virtuous wife should follow and support her husband, no matter how lowly or crooked he might be. This is often true for a rich girl marrying a poor guy; the girl would use this phrase to justify their choice against her opposing parents. Another usage is one of lamentation. A wife would say this phrase to cry woe about her situation of having a bad husband yet still having to cope with it since divorce was not an option.]
Long Jingxian's attitude changed very quickly. Her previously lively countenance turned pitiful in the blink of an eye.
“This has nothing to do with me.” At this time, Li Qiye raised both of his hands and cheerfully smiled: “I am only a passerby, don't drag me into this.”
“Damn you, Li Qiye, you dare to ruin my plan?” Long Jingxian immediately glared at him and exploded: “Is there something wrong with me? Regarding both talents and beauty, who in this world is better than me?”
Her fiery eyes gazed at Li Qiye then fell on Jian Wushuang for a bit before she commented: “Hey, you're not really together with the Jian brat, are you? Stop, how can the Jian brat be better than me?”
“Are you looking for a beating?” Jian Wushuang snorted and harshly said: “You can go crazy all you want, but don't bring me into it!”
“Hmph, then let's fight.” Long Jingxian snorted as well: “Your archery is no big deal either. If you are so amazing, then make a bet with me. If you lose, Li Qiye will belong to me!”
The group of the old turtle nearby was left breathless by Long Jingxian's boldness. This girl was too scary.
“Okay, Xiany, stop causing trouble.” The monarch told his daughter: “It's not like I don't know your little tricks.”
The monarch then looked at Li Qiye and cupped his hands together: “You must be the illustrious Young Noble Li. I have heard of your great prestige.”
Li Qiye smiled and nodded his head towards the monarch. Before he could speak, the cheerful Long Jingxian immediately interjected: “Father, your daughter's eyes aren't bad, right? He is absolutely worthy of being the son-in-law of the Beastmaster Citadel.”
The monarch didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his daughter. He shook his head instead: “Little brat, stop acting crazy! Even if you like someone, they might not necessarily like you back.”
Long Jingxian immediately erupted after hearing this and let go of her gentle pretense. She posed with both hands on her waist right in front of Li Qiye and glared at him: “You dare to not like me?! I am someone who is adored by all, flowers would bloom in my presence. Look at my amazing figure. Tell me, what is so bad about me?”
Li Qiye nonchalantly responded to her angry comment: “I like gentle and caring girls. As for tigerish and forceful girls — zero interest.”
Her pretty eyes that were fixated on Li Qiye suddenly turned dark as if she wanted to give him a good beating. However, she rolled her eyes and smiled gently: “As the saying goes, marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, then follow the dog. If Husband likes someone who is gentle and considerate, then I will become more gentle in the future.” With that, she hugged his arm again like a little pet playing with its master.
Li Qiye almost vomited blood after hearing this. This little girl was too difficult to deal with. [3. She basically called him a dog by using that phrase.]
Li Qiye looked at the monarch and smiled: “Monarch, I think you better take your baby girl back, I don't want any more trouble from her.”
Long Jingxian looked up after hearing this and was about to explode. However, she quickly cast her gaze downward and pitifully said: “Husband's words are very hurtful to me.” [4. Me/奴家/ nújiā here is a very humble self-reference by a female, meaning your servant in a literal sense. A more common usage would be a wife calling herself this to her husband. So, it could have been “Husband's words are very hurtful to wife”. However, that just makes it sound even worse. The husband part alone is already unconventional.]