A series of mellifluous giggles filled the vast Spirit Flower Garden as the group of females admired the flowers while bathing under the sun. It was finally the Spring season,a time when flowers bloomed fully decorating the garden with all sorts of vibrant hues and fragrant scents.
The garden was kind of a habitat for the group of fairies that lived there. They thrived well around the flowers which created a soothing ambience within the residence. The garden wasn't their original habitat— they were a group of female fairies who had been rescued from the claws of monsters disguised as humans. Most of them were rescued from human trafficking rings,others were found injured or starving on the street and Xuanyue Liang the Crown Prince was their universal saviour.
After saving them,he settled them on the Spirit Flower Garden in his residence. To repay him,they served him in whatever ways he deemed satisfactory especially sexual favours. They were twelve in total forming his infamous fairy harem.
These twelve fairies were popular for their unparalleled beauty. During the day,they played at the garden, eating fruits and snacks or either stayed in their rooms applying make-up and doing skin care routines to compete for their master's attention.
Among them,Cai Lian was their master's most favourite fairy; a beauty with a gentle face and melodious voice to bewitch men. The other fairies envied her and regarded her highly almost worshipping her. The fairy sat calmly on the bench in the garden while other fairies admired and praised her beauty, nestling flowers in her long black silky hair.
"Sister Cai, your beauty is truly unmatched," a fairy remarked.
"That's right. You're the most beautiful fairy in this garden," another one agreed.
"Even your wings look ethereal," another complimented.
"You flatter me," Cai Lian replied softly.
"Sister Cai you're too modest."
"In my opinion I think Shenluo Qian is the most beautiful," Cai Lian said with a fond smile and earned collective scoffs from them.
"Her!?" One scoffed,"She has the looks but she doesn't behave like a fairy at all," she criticised.
"Let alone that, the way she stinks..." Another said scrunching her nose in disgust and others made sounds of disapproval .
To many since Cai Lian was the most favoured fairy,they expected her to be proud and arrogant but instead,she was gentle and kind.
Away from other fairies, between two cherry blossom trees , Shenluo Qian lay sprawled on the white hammock swing whose strings were tied around the two trees. She had her eyes shut,a regal expression on her beautiful face without a care about her surrounding. She was different from the rest— she isolated herself,did things according to her own pace and didn't chase anyone's attention. To her,the garden was more like a dungeon .
After they were brought to the residence the fairies would sign a service contract that would bind to them to the Crown Prince. There were a number of rules to follow and if broken the fairies would be punished severely. For example, they were prohibited from leaving the residence and it was a taboo to look at men other than their master. To make sure they couldn't leave the place, Xuanyue Liang even cast a binding spell on them,one footstep out of the residence and it would backfire on them.
The hammock was swaying gently,the spring breeze blowing softly on her making her purr in satisfaction. However shortly after,her moment of peace was cut short by none other than Pei Yan,the bully fairy. Behind her were two fairies,her minions and her two personal maids. Shenluo Qian opened her eyes the moment the cold water landed on her sensitive skin. She was completely drenched. Pei Yan stood before her holding an empty pail with a smirk tugging at her lips.
"Sorry I can't bear seeing you pollute the environment, stinky fairy," Pei Yan taunted and laughed derisively along with her acolytes.
Shenluo Qian stepped down, wrapping arms around her body to generate some warmth.
"Fairy Pei,how thoughtful of you. The environment must be grateful to you," Shenluo Qian countered.
"You!..." The bully pointed a finger at her before regaining her composure,"His Highness would be grateful as well. He complains everytime because you reek," she said making a disgusted face.
Shenluo Qian had earned the nickname Stinky Fairy ever since she was brought to the residence for her distinctive odour. It was rumoured that the Crown Prince had never touched her because he couldn't tolerate her body odour hence most people avoided her like the plague.
"Fairy Pei, instead of wasting your time worrying about my smell,why don't you find ways to surpass Fairy Cai so you can become the most favoured fairy?"Shenluo Qian retorted,a smug smile on her face.
She had hit a nerve. Pei Yan saw red. Everyone knew about her rivalry with Cai Lian; how she wanted to become the most favoured,how she desperately yearned for the Crown Prince's attention. The bully's face flashed red with rage,fingers clenching into fists and she ordered her minions to lunge at Shenluo Qian. Under her command,the four surged forward and performed a number of hand incantations using their spiritual power to subdue her. Shenluo Qian sank on her knees, writhing under their torture.
" Stop!" A female voice commanded.
The four feeling startled instinctively retreated and turned to face the intruder. Cai Lian stepped into the space with her followers. Without a care she immediately rushed towards Shenluo Qian and crouched in front her, cradling the injured fairy.
"Pei Yan, you've gone too far," Cai Lian rebuked.
Pei Yan snorted and rolled her eyes,"Why do you care about her? I bet you're holding your breath to avoid inhaling her smell," she spat.
"What's going on?" An authoritative male voice asked and all the fairies immediately looked up in recognition, straightening their backs as the male approached.
"Your Highnesses," they greeted politely and curtseyed. It was the Crown Prince and another male beside him.
Xuanyue Liang walked into the scene,his nose wrinkling instantly when the pungent smell of Shenluo Qian's body odour invaded his senses.
"What happened? Why are you holding her?" He questioned curiously.
Cai Lian helped the injured fairy sit up and she rose to her feet curtseying to her master.
" Replying to Your Highness. She was beaten up and she's injured,"Cai Lian explained courteously.
" Who hit her?" He asked out of curiosity,not concern.
There was silence as the fairies stared at each other before Pei Yan pleaded guilty,"I wanted to help her get rid of her smell but she insulted me," she said indifferently.
"Fairy Pei,I was born like this, I'm sorry for my body odour," Shenluo Qian croaked out,"Your Highness if it's causing inconvenience you can throw me out," she added.
The Crown Prince scoffed,"I don't want to hear your nonsense. Take her and summon a physician to examine her," he said with finality, sounding agitated,"Ah- Lian come and give me a massage," he said walking away and the fairy immediately followed her while others fairies dispersed of course with Pei Yan stomping away fuming out of jealousy.
Shenluo Qian refused anybody's help and remained on the ground. Only when she looked up did she notice a young man standing in front of her and their eyes locked— dark eyes staring intensely into her brown eyes which had turned blue to match the intensity of her emotions.
The young man had come earlier with Xuanyue Liang and quietly witnessed the scene. She knew who he was— Xuanyue Zhen,the third prince,the most handsome man in their kingdom. She had seen him visit briefly a few times before but never had an encounter with him. Xuanyue Liang was a possessive bastard so mostly when his brothers visited he'd prohibit the fairies from leaving their rooms but the girls still secretly gushed on the finest young man behind closed doors.
Xuanyue Zhen was taller than his elder brother, with striking features and a talent for cultivation. He was ranked fourth among the best five cultivators in the world. He was infamously known as the cold hearted bachelor because of his stoic demeanour.
Shenluo Qian's eyes shamelessly raked over his body; his opulent black robes,the white jade pendant and light purple sachet dangling from his waist,the sword with a black sheath adorned with shiny pearls and the way he firmly held the weapon.
"Are you anosmic?" She suddenly asked.
"Huh?"
"I'm asking if you're anosmic since I don't see you reacting to my body odour," she pointed out, maintaining her gaze.
The prince was silent for a while before he cleared his throat to speak,"If you don't mind I know a remedy for your odour problem," he suggested politely. Immediately the words left his mouth he was shocked by himself; he had never been considerate of anyone,not even his own mother.
"I do mind," she retorted sharply.