Is Ning Yurong a Burden?

"Really not?"

"I, who have seen countless women in my lifetime, guarantee you that this little girl will be absolutely..."

"Enough... say no more, Teacher..."

Before Feng Qingyang could finish, Xue Mingqing frowned and cut him off.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and responded to Feng Qingyang in his heart.

"I, Xue Mingqing, am by no means a man who kicks others when they are down. I cannot commit such a filthy act..."

Having said that, Xue Mingqing ignored Feng Qingyang in his mind and walked straight toward Ning Yurong.

Left behind, Feng Qingyang sat quietly in Xue Mingqing's spiritual sea, chin resting on his hand.

He raised an eyebrow, his handsome, cold, pale face devoid of any ripples, save for a look of indifference that said, "I knew you would be like this."

With a soft chuckle, Feng Qingyang closed his eyes and sank back into the depths of Xue Mingqing's spiritual sea...

Ignoring Feng Qingyang's suggestion, Xue Mingqing walked up to Ning Yurong and took out his handkerchief to hand to her.

"Wipe your face first. My name is Xue Mingqing..."

Ning Yurong was startled. Once she realized what was happening, she pursed her lips and took the handkerchief Xue Mingqing offered.

"Thank you..."

Her thanks were as soft as a mosquito's hum. She lowered her head and wiped the dirt from her small face.

At this moment, Wang Chao also walked over, his expression visibly grave.

As the strongest member of the current team, he had to maintain the utmost caution. Since that soul beast could easily wipe out the entire convoy of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, could it not also wipe out their small squad?

His face was gloomy, as if a Blizzard were brewing. Wang Chao looked at Ning Yurong and asked in a hoarse voice.

"Little girl, are there any soul masters in your team? What was the cultivation level of the strongest among you?"

Hearing this, Ning Yurong's delicate body trembled, as if recalling the terror of last night, but—

She still bit her lower lip, her eyes reddening, and raised a face that was ethereal and beautiful, yet tinged with a trace of tenacity.

"Including me, there were 15 people in our team: five soul kings, eight soul grandmasters, and one soul emperor..."

"I am only a first-ring soul master..."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone present changed. If such a luxurious lineup could be easily wiped out, what about them?

One had to realize that even counting Ning Yurong and Xue Mingqing, their full strength was only two soul masters, five soul kings, and one soul emperor.

They were completely incomparable to the Nine Treasures convoy!

If so... if the Nine Treasures convoy was wiped out, that Four-Eyed Demon Fox must have at least the strength of a soul sage...

For a soul sage, wouldn't wiping them out be as easy as splashing water...?

At the same time, recalling the habits of the Four-Eyed Demon Fox, the mercenaries' faces grew even uglier.

The way they looked at Ning Yurong also became strange.

Sensing the odd gazes of the mercenaries, Ning Yurong's body trembled. She did not understand why they were looking at her like that.

However, the head she had just raised lowered once more.

For a moment, almost all the mercenaries stared at Ning Yurong, and not a single one spoke.

The atmosphere of the entire team became heavy in this eerie silence...

Instinctively sensing that the atmosphere was wrong, Xue Mingqing raised his eyes and looked toward Wang Chao.

He attempted to get an explanation for this strange mood from him.

Feeling Xue Mingqing's questioning gaze, Wang Chao narrowed his eyes. He lowered his head and explained to Xue Mingqing.

"Young Master, you may not know this, but although this Four-Eyed Demon Fox has four eyes, it is extremely petty. If a hunt is unsuccessful, it will pursue its prey to the ends of the earth until it dies..."

"So, do you understand now... Little Young Master...?"

Hearing this, Xue Mingqing's pupils constricted. How could he not understand why the mercenaries were looking at Ning Yurong with such strange eyes?

Having survived the hands of the Four-Eyed Demon Fox, she was clearly a living target that would lure the beast back to this location!

Realizing this, even Xue Mingqing could not help but look at Ning Yurong with a strange expression.

And what of Ning Yurong?

She was not stupid. After Wang Chao finished speaking, she realized what kind of situation she was in.

Lowering her head, she suppressed the trembling of her body and let the fear gnaw at her bit by bit.

Looking at the lightly trembling Ning Yurong, the mercenaries' eyes were cold, as if they were looking at a dead person.

Living on the edge of a blade and walking the line of death to earn money, they did not care about a stranger like Ning Yurong at all.

After all, it was Xue Mingqing who hired them, not her.

Moving a few steps away from Ning Yurong, Ma Han raised his eyes and looked at Wang Chao.

"Brother Wang, why don't we just leave her here to fend for herself? Let's hurry back to the city to lay low. The beast is after her anyway, so we should be fine."

Wang Chao shook his head. Instead of answering Ma Han's suggestion directly, he turned his gaze toward Xue Mingqing, who was standing there with his head bowed in silence.

Seeing this, the eyes of all the mercenaries converged on Xue Mingqing.

Including—

Ning Yurong, who was currently enveloped in despair.

And what of Xue Mingqing?

At this moment, he was not lost in a daze with his head bowed; he had entered his sea of consciousness.

In the sea of consciousness, Xue Mingqing arrived before Feng Qingyang.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Teacher, you heard it all, didn't you?"

Feng Qingyang, sitting cross-legged, propped his chin on his hand and yawned.

"I heard. So, do you want to protect her?"

Hearing Feng Qingyang's question, Xue Mingqing nodded, then shook his head, his dark eyes filled with determination.

"I am not cold-blooded. If I were safe myself, protecting her for a stretch would be no trouble, but—"

At this point, Xue Mingqing's gaze darkened.

"If I were forced to abandon her, I wouldn't insist that I must save her..."

Hearing this, Feng Qingyang chuckled, his green eyes filled with appreciation and approval for Xue Mingqing.

"Do whatever you want with confidence. My soul has recovered a bit; while I cannot dominate the world, but..."

"Protecting you two is still within my power."

Having received Feng Qingyang's assurance, Xue Mingqing's eyes brightened, and his consciousness instantly withdrew from the sea of consciousness.

In the outside world, he raised his head to meet everyone's gaze.

After scanning the circle, his eyes finally landed on Ning Yurong.

Seeing this, everyone subconsciously held their breath, waiting for Xue Mingqing's final word.

Especially Ning Yurong; within her crimson eyes, filled with despair and fear, there was actually a glimmer of hope...

If she could, she didn't want to die either...

At this moment, Xue Mingqing spoke.

"Take her with us. We will prioritize returning to the city and find my mother to deal with this beast once we're there."

Hearing this, Ning Yurong's delicate body trembled!

Looking up in disbelief, she stared at Xue Mingqing, her eyes filled with seven parts incredulity and three parts gratitude so thick it could not be dissolved!

Realizing she didn't have to die, Ning Yurong's beautiful eyes welled with tears, and her knees went weak as she prepared to kneel before Xue Mingqing!

"Thank you... thank you so much...!"

Seeing this, Xue Mingqing would never let her kneel. He stepped forward, reached out with both hands, and caught her delicate frame to stop her.

His voice was steady and gentle as he spoke.

"No need for thanks. Let's head back to the city first; we'll talk once we're there."

Unable to kneel, Ning Yurong had no choice but to stand up, nodding through her tears.

As for the other mercenaries, having watched the entire scene, their faces were as dark as the bottom of a pot!

Though they were dissatisfied with Xue Mingqing's decision, bound by the professional code of taking money to resolve disasters for others, they ultimately said nothing.

Rubbing his temples, Wang Chao sighed.

"Since it's decided, then we shall—"

Wang Chao's words were only half-finished when the entire sky suddenly turned black!

In an instant, a cold and murderous aura surged forth...

Witnessing this, the pupils of Wang Chao and the other mercenaries constricted sharply!

"Not good! This is the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's Hunting Domain! Damn it... it's here!!"

Just as the domain unfolded and the mercenaries panicked in alarm...

A series of sharp, sinister laughs, unlike anything a human could produce, rang out...