371: Chapter 371 The Way It Should Be Done

"I naturally wanted to finish the act, but you aren't cooperating at all, so I have no choice." Feng Ming spread his hands with a helpless expression.

Luo Yuan spoke huffily, "Once we reach Xun Prefecture, I will naturally act as a Xun Luoyuan should. But until then, don't expect a good attitude from me. You left me alone on the city wall that day and sauntered off on your own—I haven't settled that debt with you yet!"

Feng Ming was startled and quickly explained, "I was in a hurry to handle important business that day; staying would have only caused trouble! If I had stayed by your side, there's no guarantee I wouldn't have had improper designs on you. By the way, the poison from the Entangling Love Threads should be cured by now, right?"

"Shut up!" Hearing the words 'Entangling Love Threads,' Luo Yuan's cheeks instantly turned bright red, and she scolded him in shame and annoyance.

Feng Ming didn't care at all and said slowly, "What's there to be embarrassed about? Love between men and women is only natural. Even if you found a way to detoxify it yourself, it's no big deal."

"Stop talking!" Luo Yuan was so ashamed that even the tips of her ears were red, and she trembled with anger. "Feng Ming, I will never forget that you abandoned me!"

Feng Ming became increasingly puzzled and frowned. "Why don't you understand? If I hadn't left that day, I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't have crossed the line. My leaving was to protect you!"

"Who asked you to mind my business!" Luo Yuan's eyes reddened slightly as she shouted petulantly.

"How can you be so unreasonable?"

"I'm just being unreasonable!" Luo Yuan stiffened her neck and retorted sharply.

Feng Ming wanted to persuade her further but suddenly sensed something was wrong. His gaze fell on her flushed cheeks, and he lowered his voice to probe, "Could it be... you actually like me? When you were poisoned that night, did you stay on purpose because you wanted me to help you detoxify? Is that why you're so angry that I left?"

"I didn't!" Luo Yuan hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes, though her pretty face grew even redder.

Seeing this, Feng Ming marveled inwardly: Holy crap, is my charm really that great? In just a few days, I've managed to win over a grand Xun Luoyuan?

Stared at by Feng Ming's strange gaze, Luo Yuan could no longer bear it. With a wave of her delicate hand, a majestic new horse appeared out of thin air at the rear of the group. Then, with a palm strike, she knocked Feng Ming directly off the horse's back.

"Since you're talking nonsense, go ride in the back by yourself!"

A nearby attendant watched this and spoke up in confusion, "Xun Luoyuan, since you had a spare horse, why didn't you take it out earlier? Feng Da also needs one; I wonder if there are any more?"

"No more!" Luo Yuan barked irritably.

Feng Ming flipped onto the new horse and laughed loudly, "You clearly had a horse, yet you insisted on sharing one with me. You still dare to say you don't like me?"

"I didn't!" Luo Yuan's voice went out of tune with anger.

"Then why didn't you summon the horse in the first place?" Feng Ming pressed her further.

"I... I just felt like it, it has nothing to do with you!" Luo Yuan's face was crimson as she retorted incoherently.

"So, you do like me." Feng Ming smiled even more triumphantly.

"You!"

Luo Yuan was beyond furious. She immediately reined in her horse to slow down and ride alongside Feng Ming. Clenching her pink fist, she swung it directly at Feng Ming's chest.

But Feng Ming was incredibly agile. He grabbed her wrist with a backhand, gave a sudden forceful pull, and dragged her directly onto his horse. His arm once again wrapped around her waist from behind as he teased, "See, you've jumped onto my horse of your own accord again. Still being stubborn and saying you don't like me?"

"Feng Ming, I'll kill you!" Luo Yuan shouted in a mix of shame and rage.

The journey back to Xun Prefecture was much like the journey to Liang Province, as they had all used the same Teleportation Formation when leaving the capital, just in different directions. Liang Province, Qian Prefecture, and Xun Prefecture happened to be arranged in a straight line, with Qian Prefecture in the middle, and all three provinces had independent Teleportation Formations.

Even if Feng Ming had to go to Qian Prefecture to take office in the future, he could go directly to Liang Province from the Xun Prefecture Teleportation Formation. There were still three months before his term began, so he was in no hurry. He would return to Liang Province after handling matters in Xun Prefecture; after all, he needed to return personally to arrange the kids' Physique modifications.

It took a full half-month to travel from the Imperial Capital to the Teleportation Formation. Fortunately, he was already well-acquainted with Feng Da and the Xun Luoyuan, so the constant bickering along the way kept things from being lonely.

During this trip, what Feng Ming was most concerned about was Wanyan Lin inside his storage ring. According to Wanyan Lin, she didn't plan to show herself even after reaching Xun Prefecture. For one, Xun Prefecture was not Feng Ming's home base, and for another, she was at a critical stage of breaking through her strength and couldn't afford distractions.

In the few short days since Wanyan Lin had begun studying the Ten Thousand Poisons Scripture, her cultivation had skyrocketed from having no Foundation at all to the Golden Core Realm. This showed just how terrifying the power of the venom in her body was.

According to Wanyan Lin's calculations, if she refined all the venom in her body, it would be enough to help her break through to the Mahayana Realm.

However, by a conservative estimate, she would have to stop once she reached the Nascent Soul Realm. Unlike Feng Ming, who could rely on multiple Cultivation Techniques, Wanyan Lin's only path was refining venom.

She could never completely exhaust her own venom; she had to keep a portion to Cultivate poisonous insects and plants in the future. Only with a continuous supply of venom could she Cultivate with peace of mind.

Time flew by, and half a month passed in an instant.

The group finally arrived at the Teleportation Formation outside the Imperial Capital. Feng Da had already tapped into Xun Prefecture's intelligence network in advance, secretly gathering information for days. Once they reached the Teleportation Formation, he reported the situation in Xun Prefecture to Feng Ming one by one.

"According to my investigations over the past several days, the situation in Xun Prefecture is quite unique. What the Xun Luoyuan said is true—in the entire Xun Prefecture, she has no blood relatives other than King Xibei."

"Although King Xibei has many soldiers and generals under his command, they are all followers. Even if their relationship is close, they ultimately aren't family. His capable generals are divided into the Two Generals and Five Guards."

"Two Generals and Five Guards?" Feng Ming's eyes flashed with curiosity.

Feng Da quickly explained, "Exactly. The Two Generals hold exalted status, second only to King Xibei. They are the Mountain-Cleaving General Fang Zhao and the Dragon-Capturing General Xun Yu."

"Fang Zhao is an outsider who traveled to Xun Prefecture and was later recruited by King Xibei. He practices a form of external Hard Qigong, making his Physical Body incomparably powerful; he is a top-tier Body Cultivator."

"Xun Yu is a local of Xun Prefecture who grew up in King Xibei's military camp. He was taken in as a Personal Disciple by King Xibei and inherited the King's true legacy of the Sword Dao. His swordplay is extremely fierce."

"Both of them have reached the Ninth Grade in cultivation and can be called King Xibei's left and right hands."

"Especially Xun Yu—Young Master, you must be extra wary of him. I have heard that King Xibei originally intended to marry the Xun Luoyuan to Xun Yu. Now that His Majesty has bestowed the marriage upon you, Xun Yu will certainly be dissatisfied and will surely seek trouble with you."

Feng Ming nodded slightly but didn't take it to heart. Since King Haoyue had personally bestowed the marriage, if Xun Yu had grievances, he should go argue with King Haoyue. Taking it out on him was hardly the mark of a hero.

"Then who are the Five Guards?" Feng Ming continued to ask.