Two demons, one on each side, sandwiched Wang Canglan in the middle.
They looked very much like they wouldn't let him leave today if he didn't kowtow.
Wang Canglan looked at these two Beasts who were borrowing someone else's authority.
He felt like crying but had no tears.
Why did I choose to come here to ask...
But those who achieve great things do not sweat the small stuff.
As long as... as long as afterward, he could learn the girl's whereabouts from them... he would endure the humiliation.
With this thought.
Wang Canglan gritted his teeth and practically squeezed these words out from between them.
"What you two say is... is correct. I was being narrow-minded."
"I'll go pay my respects now, I'll go now."
Hearing this.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon finally let go with satisfaction, put his hands behind his back, and swaggered forward.
Stepping over the high threshold.
Inside the main hall, incense smoke curled around.
In the center of the altar stood a clay statue several Zhang tall.
The statue was carved lifelike, in black robes with ink-black hair, and cold features.
It was exactly Jiang Yuechu's appearance.
Wang Canglan stood before the statue, looking up at that peerlessly beautiful face.
Hatred surged in his heart.
It was this woman who destroyed Qingluan Mountain, killed Junior Brother Liu, and cut off his path of Entering the Dao through dreams.
Now, she even wanted him to bow his head here.
"What are you standing there for? Kneel."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon stood to the side, took three sticks of incense, lit them, and shoved them into Wang Canglan's hand.
"The kowtow must be loud, your mouth must recite Your Highness's illustrious name, and your heart must be pious."
Wang Canglan gripped the three sticks of incense, veins bulging on the back of his hand, his knees stubbornly refusing to bend.
"What?"
Running Ox spoke in a muffled voice from the side, his massive hoof stomping heavily on the bluestone floor.
"Does Old Ox need to give you a hand?"
Wang Canglan closed his eyes.
After a long moment.
He slowly opened his eyes, bent his knees, and knelt heavily on the prayer mat.
Thud.
The dull sound echoed in the main hall.
"I..."
Wang Canglan slammed his head heavily onto the bluestone tiles, his voice hoarse.
"Pay my respects to the Grand Princess, Your Highness."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon satisfiedly stroked the few dragon whiskers on his chin.
"Not bad, not bad. That kowtow was quite sincere."
"Do two more to make it three."
Wang Canglan snapped his head up, his eyes bloodshot.
But meeting Old Scarlet Flood Dragon's matter-of-fact expression and Running Ox's malicious bovine eyes.
He gritted his teeth again and slammed his head fiercely against the ground.
Thud.
Thud.
Two consecutive loud kowtows, slamming so hard that the floor showed faint cracks.
Wang Canglan straightened up, a red mark already appearing on his forehead.
He inserted the three sticks of incense into the burner, then turned and said: "I have already paid my respects... I wonder where the Grand Princess, Your Highness, has actually gone. I truly admire Your Highness to the extreme... Coming all the way to Chang'an this time was to personally witness Your Highness's peerless immortal grace. If I cannot meet her, I fear my heart for the Dao will never reach Perfection..."
Hearing this.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon said suspiciously: "This doesn't sound like you admire Your Highness's fame... it sounds more like you're lusting after my Highness's body..."
Once these words were out.
Wang Canglan was struck as if by lightning, freezing in place.
In the main hall, only the green smoke from the incense burner curled upward.
"..."
I lust after your mother's filthy hole!
Wang Canglan roared frantically in his heart.
But facing Old Scarlet Flood Dragon's certain expression and Running Ox's contemptuous gaze.
Wang Canglan opened his mouth.
All the words of rebuttal circled in his throat a few times before he finally had to swallow them back down.
He closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, his eyes were full of humiliated compromise.
"Yes."
Wang Canglan gritted his teeth, almost chewing every word before spitting it out.
"I... indeed feel love for Your Highness."
"Thinking of her day and night, tossing and turning."
"If I cannot see Your Highness once, I fear I... will never live happily in this life."
Hearing this affectionate confession.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon didn't get angry; instead, he sighed with some emotion.
He put his hands behind his back and paced twice in the main hall.
"Alas..."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon shook his head, his tone carrying the weariness of someone who had seen it all.
"You Loose Cultivator, you are quite the devoted one."
"However, your feelings are destined to be misplaced."
"What is my Highness's status? How can a Loose Cultivator like you aim so high?"
He stopped and looked at the red mark on Wang Canglan's forehead.
Perhaps feeling that this person's kowtowing just now was truly sincere.
Or perhaps seeing in him the same sorrow of not being able to serve by Your Highness's side.
A sense of shared plight actually arose in Old Scarlet Flood Dragon's heart.
He himself also thought of her day and night, hoping to be by her side.
Yet he could only be left here to guard the gates of this cold True Lord Temple.
"Forget it, forget it."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon waved his hand, his tone softening considerably.
"Seeing as you are so sincere, I will tell you the truth."
"You've come at an unlucky time."
"Your Highness happened to go on a long journey a few days ago."
"This trip will likely take some time before she returns."
Wang Canglan's heart tightened, and he quickly pressed for more.
"May I ask, Temple Proctor, where did Your Highness go?"
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon's eyes widened, the suspicion he had just suppressed flaring up again.
"Why are you asking so specifically? You brat, you wouldn't be up to no good, would you!"
As a dignified Prodigy of Yujing Tower, when had he ever been questioned like a thief?
And by two lowly demons at that!
The Pure Yang Fire that had been suppressed within him surged frantically again.
But he knew he absolutely could not lose his temper now.
Once he acted, not only would his previous efforts be wasted, but he would also die from the backlash.
Wang Canglan simply decided to go all in.
He suddenly took a step forward and gripped Old Scarlet Flood Dragon's sleeve tightly.
"Temple Proctor! I truly cannot help myself! I have never begged anyone in my life, I only beg you to tell me Your Highness's whereabouts."
"Even if it's just to see her from afar, I would be willing... If I cannot see Your Highness, I would rather die here before the True Lord Temple!"
These words were spoken with tears and genuine feeling.
Even Running Ox, who had wanted to mock him, was stunned.
"This... Sigh..."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon sighed deeply and patted Wang Canglan's shoulder: "Why bother doing this to yourself?"
He shook his head and looked at the distant horizon outside the temple gate: "It's fine to tell you. Where Your Highness went this time is called some mountain range or other..."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon scratched his shriveled head, trying hard to remember.
"Oh, right."
"It seems to be called the Yu Mountain Great Range."
"Anyway, it's in the Far West of the Eastern Region. You, a lone Loose Cultivator without any heaven-defying means... how could you possibly go there?"
Wang Canglan lowered his head.
Hearing the words "Yu Mountain Great Range."
He etched these four words deeply into his heart.
His hands slowly let go.
He didn't say another word, turned around, and strode out of the True Lord Temple.
His red robes fluttered as he vanished into the streets of Chang'an in an instant.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon looked at the departing figure, scratching his head in confusion.
"This Loose Cultivator is also a strange one. He kowtowed so hard his forehead turned red... It's clear he's deeply in love with Your Highness."
Running Ox snorted from the side.
"Whatever, consider him sensible. Otherwise, I, Running Ox, would have had to give him a few kicks..."