Avalanche? What's he doing here?
Ye Qiu was puzzled and looked at Xue Qinghe.
He had already suppressed his anger and regained his composure.
"Let him in!"
After a brief hesitation, he ordered Xue Beng to enter.
"Yes!"
The guard quickly retreated to relay his order.
A short while later,
two figures appeared at the entrance to the back garden.
One of them was Xue Beng, whom Ye Qiu had met once before. He had
striking reddish-brown hair, and although his eyes had lost some of their former gloom, his every move still exuded an air of arrogance.
His unsteady gait
was somewhat comical, despite his upright posture.
Accompanying him
was a young man in a black academic gown and wearing glasses.
In a short while, Xue Beng arrived at the pavilion in the center of the back garden.
The moment he saw Ye Qiu, a subtle glint of fierceness flashed in Xue Beng's eyes.
Ye Qiu sensed this movement very clearly.
He didn't pay much attention.
"Big Brother!"
Xue Beng's expression remained unchanged as he smiled and casually gave a bow.
Ignoring Ye Qiu, his gaze turned to Xue Ke beside him.
"Sister Xue Ke, it's been a long time. I wonder if you've missed your brother?"
Xue Ke's delicate brows furrowed slightly, her earlier shyness gone, her smooth chin slightly raised.
She said lightly, "Greetings, Brother Xue Beng!"
She didn't answer his question, only offering a greeting.
She had no good feelings towards this brother who only knew how to bully the weak and play with women.
Apart from his arrogance,
she couldn't see a trace of the refinement of a royal member.
Ye Qiu sat quietly to the side, observing this纨绔 (wán kù, a spoiled, dissolute prince) prince whose temperament and behavior had changed drastically. With a
powerful backer, he seemed much more confident.
Seeing that he ignored him, Ye Qiu was happy to accept it.
He quietly observed the person behind Xue Beng with curiosity.
"My dear brother, you've never been here before. I wonder what wind blew you here today?"
Xue Qinghe's voice was calm, feigning surprise.
He addressed him as "my dear brother," yet didn't even offer him a seat. Xue Beng
didn't care about Xue Ke and Xue Qinghe's perfunctory attitude.
He sneered inwardly, unusually straightening his back in front of Xue Qinghe.
His speech lacked his usual timidity.
"Big brother, I heard you were assassinated!"
"I'm truly sorry. I've been dealing with the matter of our Empire's retainer, His Majesty Xie Xue, these past few days."
"Only today have I had time to visit you, big brother. I hope you won't blame me."
Xue Qinghe took a sip of tea.
Although he had been recuperating here after his injury,
he still managed to get firsthand information.
Not to mention the Spirit Hall's covert cooperation, he had quite a few supporters in the Empire.
He knew Xie Xue, of course. He
even knew where these people came from!
Thinking of this, he felt a surge of resentment.
If that crazy woman hadn't deliberately concealed it, they wouldn't have only just received the news!
He glanced at Hun Feng, who was staring at him.
Xue Qinghe frowned.
Then he slowly said,
"It's alright. After all, His Majesty the Evil Blood's joining is indeed a very important matter!"
"For the development of the entire empire, my personal injuries are nothing."
"It's good that you understand, brother!"
Xue Beng smiled smugly, his words full of provocation.
"Brother, just stay here and take good care of yourself. I'll take care of everything outside!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Looking at Xue Beng's arrogant attitude, Xue Qinghe narrowed his eyes.
"Then you'd better perform well, brother. This is a rare opportunity for
you!" "I will seize it!" Xue Beng nodded with a smile.
Xue Qinghe suddenly felt a little annoyed.
When was it that he was just a cowardly, spoiled prince who dared to act so arrogantly in front of him?!
A slight pain came from his body, and he didn't want to waste any more words.
"Then congratulations in advance. If there's nothing else, you may leave!"
Hearing his dismissal,
Xue Beng paused, not responding immediately.
Instead, he turned and exchanged a glance with the young man behind him.
Seeing this, Ye Qiu, who had been observing the two of them, frowned even more deeply.
The young man in the academic gown
had shown no respect whatsoever since entering.
His gaze had never left Xue Qinghe, constantly scrutinizing and examining him.
Now it seemed that even
Xue Beng, a prince, was deferring to him and acting according to his wishes .
Where did this person come from?!
Under Ye Qiu's astonished and uncertain gaze, Xue Beng bowed slightly and took his leave
after the man nodded slightly. "Brother, I brought some tonics to visit you. The things are already placed outside the door. I hope you will accept them!" "..." Silence followed. Xue Qinghe quietly sipped his tea, ignoring his words. Xue Beng's face slowly darkened. Don't make a fool of yourself.
"I suppose you must be tired, brother. I won't disturb your rest any longer. See you later, Xue Ke!"
With that, he flicked his sleeves and left.
The young man in the black academic gown glanced at Ye Qiu before leaving.
Watching their retreating figures,
Ye Qiu felt a sense of unease.
That person also gave him a dangerous feeling.
He had just been about to activate his Sharingan to spy on him, but unexpectedly, the person had sensed him.
"Brother Xue, who is that person following Xue Beng?"
"Hmm?!"
Ye Qiu had just come to his senses and looked at Xue Qinghe.
He found him covered in sweat, his lips were bloodless, and he was shivering.
"Oh, Crown Prince! Are you alright?"
Xue Ke also noticed that Xue Qinghe was not right and quickly got up to go over, taking out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat with concern.
Her expression was somewhat flustered.
"Brother Crown Prince, should I ask Aunt Ye to treat you again?"
"No need, my wound just hurts a little,"
Xue Qinghe's voice was hoarse, as if sitting was already difficult for her.
Ye Qiu's expression was solemn.
Aunt Ye, whom Xue Ke mentioned, was possibly one of the only two owners of the Nine Heart Begonia.
Ye Lingling's mother.
He hadn't expected that even she hadn't been able to heal the injury.
"Brother Xue,"
Ye Qiu hesitated for a moment, then reached out his hand to Xue Qinghe.
Xue Qinghe's eyes flickered. Although she didn't understand what he meant, she inexplicably placed her hand in his.
During his recovery,
he wasn't wearing the black gloves that he always wore to conceal his slender fingers.
Qian Renxue's soft hand was smooth and delicate, and still cool to the touch.
The boneless softness made Ye Qiu's heart flutter.
He slowly took her hand.
Still in Xue Qinghe's guise, she felt Ye Qiu's warmth.
A faint blush appeared on her face.
Under Xue Ke's strange gaze,
Ye Qiu's palm glowed with a faint green light.
The Blue Silver Emperor's first soul skill, Endless Life!
Soul power transformed into warm life force, continuously flowing into Xue Qinghe's body.
Soon, within a dozen breaths,
his pale lips slowly regained color.
The cold sweat on his forehead, wiped away by Xue Ke, had dried.
His body felt warm and comfortable.
The pain within him immediately subsided.
Xue Qinghe then looked at Ye Qiu strangely, his eyes flickering.
What's wrong with this guy?! He has
way too many soul skills?!
His martial soul is clearly eyes, how can he have healing soul skills?!
Seeing his complexion improve, Ye Qiu withdrew his soul skills and released his hand.
Unexpectedly, Xue Qinghe, whose face was now flushed ,
glared at Ye Qiu resentfully.
He clearly felt Ye Qiu pinch him before letting go!
Seeing Ye Qiu's confused and bewildered gaze...
He immediately realized it was unintentional.
He could only grit his teeth and say coldly,
"Thank you!"
"It's what I should do."Ye Qiu, all serious, guiltily picked up his teacup.
He lowered his eyes, took a sip, and tried to hide his embarrassment.
Having spent so much time with girls, he'd actually instinctively pinched her.
Luckily, he was quick-witted and managed to brush it off.
"Wow, Ye Qiu...you're amazing! It feels even faster than Aunt Ye's treatment!"
Xue Ke looked at Ye Qiu like a little fangirl, her eyes sparkling.
"Hehe...Princess Xue Ke, you flatter me. It was just a little trick!"
"Ye Qiu~ I already told you to call me Xue Ke!"
Xue Ke seemed not to hear Ye Qiu's other words, only looking at him shyly, correcting his form of address.
"Uh, I'll be more careful next time."
Ye Qiu paused for a moment, then nodded helplessly.
Xue Qinghe pinched his brow, somewhat speechless.
"Alright, Xue Ke! I'm fine now, you can sit back down!"
"Yes, Crown Prince."
Xue Ke smiled and returned to her seat.
Xue Qinghe also looked at Ye Qiu again, answering his previous question.
"The person following Xue Beng is named Hun Feng! He was just a teacher my good-for-nothing brother found a few years ago!"
"Hmm, it seems he only has the cultivation of a Soul Master."
With Xue Ke present, Xue Qinghe didn't elaborate.
When he received the news, he didn't pay much attention.
In his view, a level 40 Soul Master was nothing but trash.
"Hun Feng?"
Ye Qiu could also see that Xue Qinghe didn't take Hun Feng seriously.
He couldn't help but shake his head, reminding him.
"Xue Beng found a good teacher. I can feel that person's spiritual power is not simple, at least—"
Ye Qiu paused, thinking for a moment.
He looked at Xue Qinghe seriously and said solemnly,
"At least close to the level of a Soul Saint!"
"Hmm? Are you serious?"
Xue Qinghe was shocked and looked at Ye Qiu with some disbelief.
The difference in mental and soul power between the guy in front of him was already ridiculously large.
How could there be someone even more outstanding than him?!
...
Outside the Crown Prince's residence.
Hun Feng and Xue Beng, who had already left, boarded their carriage and slowly drove away.
"Teacher, how is my elder brother's injury?"
Xue Beng popped a grape into his mouth.
Although he was inquiring about his elder brother's injuries, his face showed no concern.
Hun Feng shook his head strangely.
"Something's odd. His blood and qi are still quite abundant?!"
"Logically speaking, even a Soul Emperor poisoned with this kind of poison shouldn't be able to hold on until now!"
"How could this be?" Xue Beng's face was also somewhat surprised.
He knew that most of his family's martial souls didn't have much talent for cultivation.
It was strange how his elder brother had managed to hold on!
A worried look appeared on his face.
"Alas, it's a pity that His Majesty Evil Blood's current status makes it inconvenient for him to come here, otherwise His Majesty could come and see for himself."
"Hehe. Don't worry! Even if he can hold on now, once the blood poison spreads to his limbs and bones, it will be a different story!"
Hun Feng was confident, taking a piece of silk and carefully wiping his glasses.
Then he put them back on.
"Besides, with our help, the throne will be yours sooner or later!"
"Haha, Teacher is right! I will definitely take you as my imperial tutor then!"
Xue Beng laughed loudly, his face showing a hint of arrogance.
He had already imagined his days of wielding power over the world and enjoying the company of beautiful women.
Hun Feng didn't react, but opened the sedan window and looked up at the sky. He felt a pang of
longing
for his martial soul, the Soul-Devouring Beast, which he could barely suppress.
He wondered how long his soul could hold on?
Could he find a way to resolve the backlash from his martial soul?
The carriage fell silent.
Passing through the bustling streets, they slowly made their way towards Xue Beng's residence
...
The Crown Prince's residence, the back garden.
Xue Qinghe's face was grim; he had already believed Ye Qiu's words.
There was no reason for the other party to lie to him.
Ye Qiu didn't say much, tilting his head back to finish the warm tea in his cup.
Then he stood up.
"Brother Xue, Ye Qiu will take his leave now. I'll come to see you again when I have time to check my cultivation!"
With Xue Ke present, Ye Qiu couldn't say anything directly.
His unspoken meaning was that he would come to see him again that evening.
Xue Qinghe had just been thinking to herself, "What's so interesting about cultivation level?"
when she saw the meaningful look in Ye Qiu's eyes and understood.
She nodded slightly.
"Well, see you next time then!"
"Ah? Ye Qiu, you're leaving already? Aren't you going to stay for dinner?"
Xue Ke stood up excitedly.
She hadn't seen enough of him yet, and hadn't really spoken to Ye Qiu much.
Ye Qiu chuckled and shook his head.
"Thank you for your kindness, Xue Ke, but no need. Uncle Ning and the others are waiting for me to come back for dinner!"
Uncle Ning?!
Xue Qinghe frowned, not thinking much about the address.
"Are you going back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School? Then please give my regards to my teacher!"
"Yes, I will!"
Ye Qiu nodded in agreement.
"Then I'll take my leave now, see you later!"
Without further delay, a red light flashed in his eyes, and space twisted.
An invisible vortex appeared, twisting and carrying Ye Qiu's figure away.
Staring at the spot where Ye Qiu had disappeared, Xue Ke remained stunned for a long time.
Xue Qinghe, who had regained consciousness before her,
looked at Xue Ke, who was bewildered like a lovesick girl,
and couldn't help but tease her.
"My dear sister, are you really that fond of Ye Qiu, whom you've only met once or twice? Why don't you ask Father to grant you a marriage?"
"A...a marriage?!"
Xue Ke exclaimed, her face flushed, and she remained silent.
Ye Qiu was not only handsome and had an exceptional temperament,
but he was also very mysterious, appearing and disappearing without a trace, making it difficult for her to see him clearly.
This only fueled her urge to investigate further!
Her eyes shimmered, clearly showing that she was genuinely interested.
Xue Qinghe's face darkened, secretly cursing herself for being so talkative.
This philandering scoundrel!
She cursed inwardly, but a sudden pain shot through her chest wound, so she quickly composed herself and
dared not tease Xue Ke any further .
...
Ye Qiu, who had vanished from their sight,
had already returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. He first went to the council hall, but didn't see anyone there.
All he saw was a long sword mark on the ground.
Standing there, Ye Qiu stared strangely at the mark,
sensing the faint sword intent lingering in the air.
His lips twitched involuntarily.
He suddenly understood.
It must be Sword and Bone who had gotten really worked up.
Without lingering, he activated his divine power and decided to go back to the courtyard.
Ning Rongrong and the other girls should still be waiting for him there.
Arriving at the courtyard,
he heard some noise coming from the room where he had once stayed.
Inside,
the girls, already tired from their walk, had placed a table by the bed.
On it were some snacks and juice.
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong sat at the table, chatting.
Xiao Wu was wrapped in the blankets, gently inhaling the faint fragrance left by Ye Qiu. Ning Rongrong,
having just heard Zhu Zhuqing reveal her past,
suddenly looked enlightened.
"No wonder...no wonder Dai Mubai keeps staring at you. So you two actually have this kind of relationship!"
"Hmph! It serves Zhu Qing right that Xiao Qiu snatched her away. That sick cat is not good enough for Zhu Qing!"
Xiao Wu pouted, feeling indignant for her good friend.
"When I first saw that sick cat, he was actually going to a hotel with two women on either side of him, showing no sign of defying fate!"
"Zhuqing, don't worry! If your family really dares to pressure you, I will definitely do my best to help you!"
Ning Rongrong patted her chest.
She wouldn't watch Zhu Zhuqing fall into the tiger's den!
With Zhu Zhuqing's current talent, she wouldn't even need to ask.
Her father would probably take one of her grandfathers on a trip to the Star Luo Empire.
"Me too, Sister Xiaowu can help too!" Xiaowu, who had been lying down, immediately rolled over and raised her hand in agreement.
"Okay, thank you!" Zhu Zhuqing smiled slightly.
Being with them felt warmer than any so-called home.
Now, the pressure in her heart had lessened considerably.
Because she had met Ye Qiu.
Her cultivation had increased, her talent had improved, and her backer was very strong.
As Ning Rongrong spoke, she also put a piece of pastry to Zhu Zhuqing's mouth.
"Hey, although this isn't as good as mine, it's still pretty good. Don't think about these troubling things!"
"Okay."
Zhu Zhuqing parted her lips slightly and put more than half of the pastry into her mouth.
"Rongrong, you!"
Feeling Ning Rongrong's restless finger poking her mouth
, Zhu Zhuqing blushed and glared at her resentfully.
"Haha." Ning Rongrong held the remaining half of the pastry, giggling incessantly.
Xiao Wu, being more shameless, could only tease the thin-skinned Zhu Zhuqing.
"Rongrong, ah~"
Xiao Wu lay on the bed, tilting her head back and opening her mouth, begging Ning Rongrong to feed her.
Ning Rongrong rolled her eyes at her and directly threw the half of the pastry into her mouth.
"Ah~ Rongrong, you..."
Xiao Wu's crimson eyes were somewhat puzzled.
"What? Do you dislike Zhuqing or not!" Ning Rongrong looked at her, smiling mischievously.
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze also swept over.
"I don't dislike Zhuqing!"
Xiao Wu explained anxiously.
She smacked her lips angrily, her little face showing some grievance.
"I wanted the grass flavor, but Rongrong gave me the grilled fish flavor."
Zhu Zhuqing's pursed red lips curled up slightly.
"Pfft, haha, then I'll get you a piece!" Ning Rongrong smiled and stuffed another grass-flavored pastry into Xiao Wu's mouth. The door
creaked
open, and the girls turned around to see Ye Qiu's figure.
"Ye Qiu!" Zhu Zhuqing stood up happily.
"Ye Qiu, you're finally back!" Ning Rongrong cheered and jumped into his arms.
"Ugh~ Xiao Wu... cough cough!"
Only Xiao Wu, when she tried to get up, choked on the pastry in her mouth.
She quickly covered her mouth to stop coughing.
Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing quickly picked up the juice in front of Xiao Wu and brought it to her mouth, patting her back.
Ye Qiu supported Ning Rongrong's pert buttocks, who was hanging on him.
He sat down next to Zhu Zhuqing, pulled the girl away from his arms, and placed her on his lap.
There was already a string of teeth marks on her face.
"Xiao Wu, are you alright?" Ye Qiu asked with concern, looking at Xiao Wu who was squeezing out tears.
"Cough cough... I'm... I'm fine!" Xiao Wu rubbed her red eyes and wiped away the tears.
She knelt on the bed, looking at Ning Rongrong who was nestled in Ye Qiu's arms. She
gave an unhappy snort.
If she hadn't choked, she definitely could have taken the seat.
"By the way, Ye Qiu, how is Senior Brother Qinghe?" Having taken advantage of the situation, Ning Rongrong was also concerned about her father's student.
"Hmm..."
Ye Qiu thought for a moment, unsure how to describe it.
He could only use what Xue Qinghe himself had said.
"He's alright, he said... he won't die." "
Pfft, you didn't offend him, did you?" Ning Rongrong looked at Ye Qiu strangely.
Under normal circumstances, how could Xue Qinghe say such a thing?
"Maybe!"
Ye Qiu smiled helplessly, not wanting to talk about this topic any further.
He glanced around and saw that there was only half a glass of juice left in front of Zhu Zhuqing.
Too lazy to pour any more,
he picked it up and chugged it down in one gulp.
Zhu Zhuqing gave him a shy glare and picked up the container next to her to refill his bowl.
"By the way, what were you two talking about just now?"
Ye Qiu pressed down on Ning Rongrong's wriggling waist and looked at Zhu Zhuqing with some curiosity.
"Zhuqing just told us about her family." As soon as
Xiao Wu finished speaking, Ye Qiu's eyelids twitched.
There was already half a piece of pastry that Xiao Wu had taken a bite of in front of him.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at this scene and lowered her head to chuckle.
"Is that so?"
Ye Qiu smiled helplessly and picked up the half piece of pastry.
He chewed it slowly amidst Ning Rongrong's laughter.
At the same time, he asked,
"Zhuqing, can you tell me about the thing you said you hadn't finished yet?"
"Yes!" Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
She couldn't finish this matter without Ye Qiu's help.
It was better to tell Ye Qiu as soon as possible.
Zhu Zhuqing pondered for a moment, seemingly organizing her thoughts,
thinking about where to begin.
After a long pause, she slowly said,
"Actually... I was also assassinated."
Hearing this, Ye Qiu's smile froze. He
was somewhat surprised.
He wasn't surprised that Zhu Zhuqing had been assassinated.
After all, given her circumstances, such an event wasn't unusual.
He was curious why Zhu Zhuqing would bring up the fact that she had also been assassinated at this time.
Could this be related to Qian Renxue's assassination attempt?
"What? Zhuqing, you were also assassinated?"
Xiao Wu on the bed exclaimed in surprise.
She immediately jumped up and was about to attack Zhu Zhuqing's body.
"Are you alright?"
"Xiao Wu, I'm perfectly fine here!!"
Dodging her groping hands, Zhu Zhuqing was somewhat amused and exasperated.
"Uh, I... I was just concerned about you."
Xiao Wu also realized what was happening and, amidst Ning Rongrong's giggles, reluctantly sat back down.
"Zhuqing, was it someone sent by Davis, or your sister?"
Ye Qiu's eyes held a dangerous glint.
No matter who it is, he will make sure to avenge Zhu Zhuqing!
"None of them!"
Zhu Zhuqing gently shook her head, her voice sounding slightly trembling.
"None of them?!" Ning Rongrong looked at her strangely.
Ye Qiu's expression also became much more serious.
"Zhu Qing, could you tell me more details?"
"Sure!" Zhu Zhu Qing nodded slightly and recounted the events in detail.
"It happened right when I obtained my third soul ring! Right at my doorstep."
"That day, I returned from a soul hunt and was about to step into my house when I was ambushed from behind—another hidden attack!"
Before Zhu Zhu Qing could finish speaking, she looked at Ye Qiu tenderly, her eyes filled with relief.
"If it weren't for the Shadow Spider Spear behind me, which blocked most of the attack, I might have died on the spot!"
"At your doorstep?" Ye Qiu's expression darkened.
He hadn't expected Zhu Zhu Qing to have such an encounter.
Moreover, the location of this assassination attempt unexpectedly overlapped with Qian Renxue's.
"Then how did you rule out that it wasn't Davis and your sister who did it?"
Ning Rongrong was also somewhat puzzled.
Could this alone eliminate the suspicion of those two competitors?
Xiao Wu didn't understand this kind of topic and listened quietly.
"Because although our competition is brutal, assassinations are strictly prohibited!"
"In other words, even if someone really wanted to kill me, they should have done it secretly, not in public!"
Ye Qiu nodded.
If assassinations were allowed, then this competition would seem meaningless. They could
just throw money at it and hire someone to kill me.
"Besides, after I was assassinated, I actually fainted and was critically injured! It was my sister." "
She saved me, using a snow lotus she had prepared to break through to level 40 to save me, and then took care of me for a long time!"
Zhu Zhuqing spoke, her eyes still somewhat dazed, as if she were dreaming.
Before that, she had never imagined that
her sister would worry about and take care of her so much.
Thinking of being targeted for so long, and
her sister's sudden change in attitude after her injuries improved, she felt very wronged.
Tears slowly welled up in her eyes.
"Alright, isn't this something to be happy about?" Ye Qiu raised his hand, his fingertips gently tracing the corner of her eye.
"Yes, Zhuqing, your sister still loves you!"
Ning Rongrong hadn't expected that her sister, whom Zhu Zhuqing had previously described as somewhat malicious, suddenly had a kind heart.
"Mm," Zhu Zhuqing forced a smile.
Ye Qiu put his arm around her slender waist, letting her lean on his shoulder.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu also gently took her hands.
After a moment, once Zhu Zhuqing had composed herself, she continued,
"My sister told me that those people had approached her to discuss cooperation, but she refused!"
"It seems they also approached Davis, but Davis ignored them."
"My sister guessed that the reason they tried to assassinate me was to show Davis their sincerity!"
"Them? Zhuqing, do you know—"
"I don't know~" Before Ye Qiu could finish, Zhu Zhuqing shook her head sheepishly,
a hint of apology on her face .
Ye Qiu was astonished.
He hadn't expected that Zhu Zhuqing didn't know where they came from or who they were.
But he became increasingly suspicious of the "them" Zhu Zhuqing spoke of.
"And the Evil Blood and others who support Avalanche, they come from the same place!"
"Phew~"
Things are getting more and more complicated!
Ye Qiu thought to himself.
Judging from this information, it seems that it's not just the Spirit Hall that's plotting to take over the two great empires!
He shook his head, temporarily memorizing this information.
He could discuss it with Qian Renxue tonight when they met.
"Zhu Qing, what does that assassination attempt have to do with what you're doing?"
"Yes!" Zhu Zhu Qing clung tightly to Ye Qiu's arm, her lips pouting in grievance.
"Sister...sister wants me to compensate her for her snow lotus!"
Normally, Zhu Zhu Qing wouldn't be so aggrieved; given her personality, she would readily return things.
But Zhu Zhu Yun's words were quite harsh, making her somewhat sad.
Seeing Zhu Zhu Qing's rare cuteness, Ye Qiu couldn't help but pinch her pretty cheek.
He also gently bit her upturned upper lip.
"It's alright, Xiao Qiu still has plenty of herbs. Compensating her with a snow lotus is a piece of cake!"
Xiao Wu pouted, realizing she hadn't gotten anything out of it today.
Zhu Zhuqing blushed, cautiously looking at Ye Qiu.
Her words carried a hint of anger towards Zhu Zhuyun.
"But... she doesn't want the snow lotus, she wants me to compensate her double!"
"Could this compensation be related to me?" Ye Qiu looked at Zhu Zhuqing strangely.
Her eyes seemed to say she had done something wrong.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded guiltily.
"Yes, after I met you and went home, she found out about my soul ring configuration and my sudden increase in soul power level."
"Oh, I see!" Ye Qiu suddenly understood.
It seemed Zhu Zhuyun's condition was for Zhu Zhuqing to give her a super-limited soul ring as well.
"Ye Qiu, I'm sorry, I agreed to her in a fit of anger. If it doesn't work out, I'll give her an explanation myself."
"Haha, no need to apologize! Helping your sister is no problem!"
Ye Qiu chuckled.
"Actually, your sister probably wants to force you to leave Xingluo City to prevent you from being assassinated again. It's a kind of protection for you!"
"After all, she has no idea where your second ring came from! Logically speaking, she should also understand that such a fortuitous encounter is irreplaceable unless you really sell me out!"
"..."
Hearing Ye Qiu's words, Zhu Zhuqing was stunned for a moment.
After hearing the end of the sentence, she hurriedly explained in a flustered manner,
"No, I haven't told her about you."
"Hmm, I know! It's okay that you told her. Didn't I already say I would help her? She'll find out sooner or later!"
Ye Qiu smiled and comforted Zhu Zhuqing, kissing her cheek lightly.
No wonder Zhu Zhuqing didn't want to leave Soto City; she was waiting for her sister's letter!
"Thank you, Ye Qiu!"
she said softly, cupping Ye Qiu's face before pressing against him.
She was completely at his mercy.
Her heart pounded, but she didn't care about Ye Qiu's restless hands.
"..."
Ning Rongrong, sitting on Ye Qiu's lap, suddenly felt superfluous.
She and Xiao Wu stared at each other.
"Young Miss, the Sect Master invites you and your guests to dine!"
A voice came from outside the door shortly after.
"Okay, we'll be right there!" Ning Rongrong pouted and called out.
"Xiao Qiu~ Enough already? Save some room for dinner!"
Xiao Wu looked at Ye Qiu, whose Adam's apple bobbed, and spoke with a sour tone.
Ye Qiu, still retaining his senses, withdrew his hand and embraced the soft, limp body before stopping.
"Let's go over after Zhu Qing rests for a while!"
"Okay!" Ning Rongrong glanced at Zhu Zhu Qing, whose face was flushed, and gave him a reproachful look.
...
Not long after, the group came out of the room.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu each took Ye Qiu's arm.
Zhu Zhu Qing blushed, crossed her arms over her chest, and moved slightly to ease the still aching chest.
Her pretty face was bright.
When she learned that Zhu Zhu Yun had made things difficult for her because of the snow lotus, it was also to protect her.
She couldn't help but feel happy.
Looking at her sisters and Ye Qiu beside her, a sweet feeling welled up in her heart.
"By the way, Xiao Wu, Zhu Qing, after we finish eating, I'll take you to visit Senior Dugu!"
Ye Qiu suddenly said.
He also wanted to go back to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well Secret Realm to ask Dugu Bo about Ye Xiu.
For example, to have Dugu Bo draw his eyes!
"Senior Dugu?" Xiao Wu looked at him strangely.
"That's his other confidante, Dugu Yan's grandfather. He's also a Title Douluo!"
Ning Rongrong pouted, still harboring resentment towards Dugu Yan.
"Also a Title Douluo?" Zhu Zhuqing was surprised.
"Yes, so Zhuqing, don't worry too much about things at home right now. Even if I can't beat them, we have people behind us!"
Ye Qiu smiled casually, acting like a spoiled brat, with one woman on each side.
He held his head high, his nostrils flaring, taking advantage of everyone.
"Hey~ Ye Qiu, watch yourself!"
"Xiao Qiu~"
Zhu Zhuqing blushed, looking at Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu speechlessly.
She said no, but her body cooperated
. Soon, the group entered the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, to its inhumanly luxurious reception hall.
The porcelain dishes were dazzling, like a continuous banquet, with over a hundred dishes, none of them the same.
Xiao Wu was overwhelmed by the sights, swallowing hard, her eyes gleaming.
Seeing her like this, Ye Qiu couldn't help but chuckle.
If Xiao Lan were here, she might be even more pathetic than Xiao Wu.
Unfortunately, she's currently being conscripted by Yan Yan
to travel with the Royal Fighting Team to various city arenas for a series of challenges, training their combat abilities.
Ye Qiu also made a point of observing Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.
Bone Douluo's aura was somewhat disordered, and his hair seemed to be thinning.
Sword Douluo's spotless clothes were covered in dust and had some messy wrinkles.
It seemed that Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Sword was still superior.
"Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, you two aren't fighting again, are you?"
Ning Rongrong was used to this kind of thing; she could guess from their equally unwilling expressions.
"Alright, Rongrong, quickly invite Xiao Wu and Zhu Qing to take their seats!"
Ning Fengzhi smiled helplessly; if he hadn't gone to find them, they probably wouldn't have finished fighting yet.
"Okay, Dad!"
Soon everyone was seated. During the meal,
Ye Qiu, following Xue Qinghe's instructions, also conveyed his greetings to Ning Fengzhi. The two Douluo, Sword and Bone, who had initially harbored resentment, suddenly forgot their earlier unpleasantness. They exchanged a glance, wishing they had never been there. Ning Fengzhi, his face dark, looked at Jia Yao with no appetite. He felt uncomfortable from the display of affection across from him. "Rongrong! Can you use cups to drink?" Seeing Ning Rongrong's actions, Ning Fengzhi quickly stopped her. He covered his face, somewhat helpless. His words went unanswered for a long time. Fortunately, Ye Qiu still had some sense of propriety and quickly stopped Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing from burying their heads in their food, as if they didn't know them and were ashamed to be associated with them! ... Sunset Forest at midday. The sun shone brightly, making this place, less lush than the Star Dou Great Forest, appear quite luminous. Soul Masters frequently entered or left, or remained buried here. A wide open space... Ye Qiu appeared here, and after scanning his surroundings to make sure no one was there, he swiftly formed hand seals. His body slowly vanished into the void, disappearing from the spot. The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye Secret Realm. As soon as Ye Qiu entered, a long-lost aura lingered around him. Before he could even fully appreciate it , a dark green figure instantly appeared before him. "Boy, it's good to see you again! Where have you been gallivanting off to lately? You haven't even come back to visit this old man!" This person was none other than Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.
He was still dressed in gray cloth, with dark green hair and eyebrows.
"Senior Dugu, I wasn't out gallivanting. Besides, I came back once before; you were just not here!" Ye Qiu waved his hand and explained.
"Hmph! What did you go doing? Yan Yan told me everything. I'm warning you, brat, if you dare to let my Yan Yan down, I won't let you off!"
Dugu Bo snorted coldly, his breathing becoming somewhat rapid.
"Senior, don't worry. I can't bear to part with Yan Yan. By the way, Senior, you didn't go looking for trouble with someone again, did you?"
Ye Qiu looked at the somewhat disheveled Dugu Bo in front of him.
"Heh, life's been a bit boring. I couldn't resist going to challenge that old chrysanthemum again. I just got back a little while ago!"
Dugu Bo smiled nonchalantly and sat down at the table under the wooden shed.
He started brewing tea.
Ye Qiu smiled wryly; that Chrysanthemum Douluo really had a way of making things difficult for him.
"Kid, you're back just in time. Have a chat with me." Dugu Bo beckoned Ye Qiu to sit down.
"Sure, I happen to have some things I need to ask you, senior."
Ye Qiu sat down opposite him.
"Oh? What is it?" Dugu Bo looked at him with interest.
Ye Qiu shook his head. "No rush
. Before that, let me introduce a few people to you, senior."
As soon as he
finished speaking, Ye Qiu activated his Martial Soul. In a spatial distortion, three beautiful girls with distinct styles appeared before him.