297: Qi Family Visit

"Nothing much, just thinking about some pleasant things." You licked your lips, a slightly frivolous smile appearing on your face.

She seemed to have guessed what was on your mind, and her cheeks turned slightly red.

"Don't think that..." She paused, then changed her tone, "Try to leave the City Lord's Mansion as little as possible from now on."

"Are you concerned about me?" you asked with a smile.

"With your current status, many people are dying to see you dead," she said indifferently. "If you aren't in the City Lord's Mansion, I won't be able to... keep an eye on you at all times."

You nodded with a smile, understanding what she meant.

Becoming her man with your current status would inevitably attract the jealousy and hatred of many.

Furthermore, you might face numerous assassination attempts.

But if you were to die, wouldn't all the "suffering" she endured be in vain?

Moreover, if you were to die, the True Spirit Immortal Dynasty would only be more suspicious of her.

Not only that, but other factions would still not easily let her go.

You, naturally, did not care about these matters at all.

To you, as long as you didn't run into those three old foxes in the Void Refining Realm, everything would be fine.

At the same time, you felt a bit curious—her attitude toward you seemed different from before, which you could tell from her tone.

In the past, she had treated you almost like air, and there had been no emotional fluctuation when she spoke to you.

This time when she spoke to you, her tone revealed a variety of emotions: caution, worry, concern, and a complex feeling of love intertwined with hate.

You were very curious about this.

But what you didn't know was that after your Dual Cultivation, she discovered a strange energy within her body and had refined it.

She hadn't expected that after refining it, her cultivation would actually improve somewhat.

You were, naturally, completely unaware of this, because you didn't know your poison body actually had such an effect.

You recalled another question and asked curiously, "When did you... know that Princess Huangfu Yu would plot against you?"

She glanced at you and said indifferently, "When she requested you to be her personal bodyguard."

"You knew her intentions, so why did you pretend not to know?"

"Only the two of us survived at that time. If you died, who would testify for me?"

"Is the truth really that important to you?"

"The truth itself is not important, but right now, our Family cannot be at the center of the storm."

"You're truly ruthless!"

Soon, you both returned to the City Lord's Mansion.

Just as you entered the City Lord's Mansion, a guard hurried over to report, "Young Miss, the Qi Family Clan Chief has arrived with his son, Qi Wei."

You naturally knew this Qi Family Clan Chief; his name was Qi Tianchuan, and he was at the Early Nascent Soul Stage.

Qi Tianchuan was also the president of the Tianyang City Chamber of Commerce, and his father, Qi Zhengyang—known as Old Ancestor Zhengyang—was said to have reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage.

This Old Ancestor Zhengyang, like the City Lord Cao Ruide, had been missing for years.

Cao Qingyi waved her hand to signal you to follow, then walked straight toward the reception hall of the City Lord's Mansion.

As soon as you stepped into the hall, Qi Tianchuan's deep voice came over, "Niece Qingyi, I heard you just casually found yourself a Dao Companion?"

"This is my own business, there is no need for you to worry, Uncle." Cao Qingyi's expression was indifferent.

"Since you have already formed a pair, you should at least introduce him to us elders so we can recognize his face, right?" Qi Tianchuan's tone was steady, with no detectable emotion.

He paused, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, "Lest we run into each other outside in the future and accidentally... hurt one of our own."

It turned out that the Cao Family and the Qi Family had long been connected by marriage, and according to seniority, Qi Tianchuan was indeed Cao Qingyi's uncle.

Cao Qingyi understood the hidden meaning in his words and turned to point at you behind her, "His name is Qin Chen."

As soon as she finished speaking, you felt a fierce gaze locked onto you—it was Qi Tianchuan's son, Qi Wei.

You met his gaze; the undisguised killing intent in his eyes was as piercing as an ice pick.

Qi Tianchuan only glanced at you casually before shaking his head and sighing, "Niece Qingyi, you bear the safety of Tianyang City on your shoulders; how can the matter of a Dao Companion be treated as child's play? Choosing someone so casually is bound to cause dissatisfaction."

Qi Wei also stepped forward, his voice cold, "Cousin Qingyi, how can someone of unknown origin with no Foundation be worthy of you? Aren't you afraid that he... might suddenly meet with an accident one day?"

"Are you threatening me?" Cao Qingyi's eyes turned cold.

Qi Tianchuan waved his hand and smiled, "Niece, you speak too seriously. I am merely considering the stability of Tianyang City."

"Exactly!" Qi Wei said, his tone agitated. "Where am I, Qi Wei, inferior to him? I have proposed marriage several times and have been rejected by you each time, yet you turn around and casually find someone to be your Dao Companion—where does that leave the face of my Qi Family?"

Cao Qingyi remained calm, "This was not my intention; it was done by Princess Huangfu Yu."

Hearing this, Qi Tianchuan's eyes flickered slightly, and he glanced at Qi Wei.

Qi Wei understood and turned to say with a smile, "Since that is the case, why not agree to a marriage alliance with our Qi Family? As for him... you may arrange for him however you wish."

Hearing this, you could no longer hold back. You chuckled and interjected, "She is already my woman; how can you still talk about a marriage alliance with the Qi Family?"

Cao Qingyi raised her hand to signal you not to say more, and she said indifferently, "I already have a Dao Companion; how can we discuss a marriage alliance?"

"Why not?" Qi Wei's tone slowed down. "I don't even mind that you have a Dao Companion, so why should your Dao Companion... mind my existence?"

He lowered his voice slightly, "Can you really not tell who the person who truly cares about you is?"

"Heh," you rolled your eyes and smiled helplessly, "Your Excellency, are you... perhaps a dog?"

Qi Wei's eyes suddenly turned sharp, "Congratulations, you have successfully caught my attention."

You met his gaze, looking at him as if he were a fool, "And congratulations to you, you have successfully triggered my killing intent."

"Do you really think... I wouldn't dare to make a move here?" Killing intent erupted in Qi Wei's eyes.

"Hmph," Qi Tianchuan gave a cold snort, "Threatening my son right in front of me... you must be tired of living."

The next second—

Hum!

A cold light flashed in Qi Tianchuan's eyes, and a burst of Nascent Soul Divine Sense condensed into a solid form, transforming into a blinding beam of light that shot straight toward the space between your eyebrows.

Bang!

Cao Qingyi lightly waved her sleeve, and an icy blue spiritual light bloomed from her palm, colliding with that beam of Divine Sense in mid-air.

Both forces were silently annihilated, dissolving into tiny fragments that dissipated into the air.

"Qi Tianchuan, I only call you Uncle out of respect for you as an elder; how dare you make a move in my City Lord's Mansion?" Cao Qingyi's voice was icy cold.

"What was wrong with what my son said? By acting this way, where do you place the face of my Qi Family?" Qi Tianchuan's expression was dark and solemn.