Searching for Someone

Xu Qi'an looked blank, not knowing why she was suddenly angry.

Immediately, as if he had thought of something, he gave a perfunctory reply while secretly observing.

"I was exhausted from working too hard last night, so I came over for a bath. Grand Preceptor, have you had lunch yet?" Xu Qi'an asked with a smile.

Upon hearing "overworked," Luo Yuheng's fair face flushed slightly, and she glared at him angrily.

"I was just about to have a meal with you."

The two returned immediately and entered the warm and cozy bedroom. Qingxingyuan's maid brought over a long table, which was filled with breakfast such as porridge, meat buns, pastries, fried dough sticks, and pickles.

Luo Yuheng didn't eat anything else. She held a bowl of white porridge, her delicate fingers holding the porcelain spoon, and sipped it slowly.

"This must be 'anger' from the seven emotions, which, as the name suggests, means being irritable and easily angered. I'll have to be careful how I handle it later."

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment while observing her.

The Imperial Advisor was still the same Imperial Advisor, aloof and beautiful, with a touch of vermilion between her brows, like a fairy untouched by worldly affairs.

Everything last night seems like a dream.

However, Xu Qi'an had already experienced firsthand how hot and alluring the Imperial Preceptor's figure was, how delicate and elastic her skin was.

I actually slept with the Grand Preceptor of the Great Feng Dynasty, the beauty that Emperor Yuanjing had longed for but could not have. At this moment, recalling last night, Xu Qi'an still felt a bit like he was in a dream.

Have you seen enough?

Luo Yuheng raised her eyes, glared at him, and feigned anger.

"We've already slept together, what's wrong with taking a few glances?" Xu Qi'an thought to himself, his gaze then falling on the Grand Preceptor's bulging chest.

Thud!

A chopstick flew in swiftly and pierced the table in front of Xu Qi'an.

"Eat, eat!" He looked away and silently drank his porridge.

After breakfast, the two did not speak or make eye contact. She would get angry if Xu Qi'an secretly or openly admired the Grand Preceptor's face and figure.

Luo Yuheng put down her chopsticks, stood up with a cold expression, and walked gracefully towards the bedroom.

As she walked, the hem of her Daoist robe swayed gently, giving her a light and graceful appearance.

"Don't disturb my cultivation unless it's absolutely necessary," she said calmly.

The bedroom door was open. Xu Qi'an turned around and saw that the duvet cover and sheets from last night had been changed.

On the inner screen hung a white embroidered lotus-patterned bodice and a pair of soft white silk trousers.

Bang!

Seemingly sensing his gaze, Luo Yuheng slammed the door shut with exceptionally loud noise.

"I feel that the emotion of 'anger' has made her even more unapproachable. She's always frowning and glaring at me, as if I'm just a tool she needs to have sex with."

"She really seems like my aunt, or maybe my English teacher."

He leisurely grabbed a clean towel, wiped his hands and mouth, walked to the bedroom door, and knocked.

Luo Yuheng ignored him.

Xu Qi'an then took it upon himself to push open the door, and upon glancing around, he suddenly realized that his close-fitting silk trousers and undergarment were gone.

Luo Yuheng sat cross-legged on the bed, angrily saying, "Didn't I tell you not to disturb me?"

In the past, Luo Yuheng was aloof and calm, and did not have much emotional fluctuation, which gave Xu Qi'an a feeling of being high and mighty.

Unlike now, they get angry and furious at the drop of a hat. Although they don't have a good temper, they have a vibrant human touch.

"The karmic fire has subsided; let's consolidate our cultivation later. Shall I take you for a stroll in the garden?"

Xu Qi'an moved closer to the bedside and grasped Luo Yuheng's smooth and delicate hand.

That's what he thought: the relationship between the two of them was more like an arranged marriage, with the wedding night preceding the cultivation of feelings.

Fortunately, Luo Yuheng didn't dislike him; in fact, she liked him very much, though they were far from sleeping together.

But now that he knows them inside and out, he has to change his approach and work to improve their relationship.

After all, I can't expect Luo Yuheng to come after me. Xu Qi'an thought to himself, when he suddenly saw a flash of anger in Luo Yuheng's eyes. He instinctively sensed something was wrong and leaped away, intending to escape.

But then he discovered he couldn't move his body.

"The Imperial Advisor?" Xu Qi'an quickly said, "We can talk this over."

Luo Yuheng glared at him angrily. "What did I tell you last night? This is just a transaction. Don't think that just because you've cultivated together, you're my dao companion and can do whatever you want with me."

"I was being presumptuous." Xu Qi'an apologized politely.

Luo Yuheng gave a soft snort before letting him go, then closed her eyes and sat down to meditate. "Go out."

Her angry personality is even more difficult to deal with than the original Imperial Advisor; she's volatile and can easily change her appearance. If I hadn't apologized earlier, I might have already been stabbed away by her sword.

"Yes, and I'm even more proud and reserved now." Xu Qi'an exhaled.

He stepped out of the bedroom, breathing in the fresh air. As he passed the window, it slammed open, and Luo Yuheng sat cross-legged on the bed, his voice icy:

Where to go?

"Let's go to a brothel." Xu Qi'an pouted.

"What did you say?" Luo Yuheng raised his eyebrows, angrily saying, "Say it again."

Xu Qi'an scoffed, deliberately taunting her. "Whether the Imperial Advisor goes to brothels or not is none of our business. We're just doing business together."

Luo Yuheng's chest heaved with anger as he waved to close the window.

"So I'm really going to visit a brothel?" Xu Qi'an shouted at the window.

"Roll!"

Xu Qi'an did not leave Qingxing Garden immediately. He had his maid prepare food, a change of clothes, toiletries, and so on.

He found an empty room, took out the pagoda, and gently tossed it aside.

The pagoda expanded and grew larger, its spire almost piercing through the roof ridge. With a thought, Xu Qi'an entered the pagoda.

Upon arriving on the third floor, they saw Mu Nanzhi and Ta Ling sitting opposite each other, mimicking monks by putting their hands together and closing their eyes in meditation.

What's going on? Xu Qi'an put the package aside and said, "Nan Zhi, I brought you some clothes and food."

Mu Nanzhi remained unmoved, continuing her meditation with her eyes closed. The little white fox darted over, sniffing the air as it muttered:

"Aren't there any fruits? I want to eat some."

Xu Qi'an slapped it away and shouted angrily, "Get lost!"

If it weren't for this little brat causing trouble, I wouldn't be facing this chaotic situation. The princess is still in the inn, innocently waiting for me to return.

The little white fox got beaten again and cried, saying:

"I don't want your food. You're no good at all; all you do is bully us."

It walked back to Mu Nanzhi's side with a wronged expression, and with a great leap, it first hooked its two front paws onto the edge of the table, and then, with its hind legs kicking wildly, climbed onto the table.

It sobbed for a while until Xu Qi'an placed the pastries in front of it.

The little white fox glanced at the pastries, then turned its head away with great pride.

Aren't you going to eat?

"Snort!"

"I'll eat it myself. Mmm, so fragrant, soft and sweet, wonderful! And this meat bun, the soup is overflowing, the dough is chewy. Oh dear, there's only one left."

The little white fox's ears twitched.

"Unfortunately, the little fox won't eat it, so I'll just have to eat it myself."

"Eat, eat."

The little white fox lost all her backbone, turned around, and buried her head in Xu Qi'an's arms, saying sweetly, "I want food, I want food."

Xu Qi'an rubbed its head, fed it breakfast, and seeing that Mu Nanzhi still had a cold face, he sighed, put the little white fox down, and left.

He actually had many ways to deal with Mu Nanzhi, but since their dual cultivation hadn't ended yet, they would likely just appease her and then start arguing again.

Alternatively, she could use this as an opportunity to demand that she sever all ties with Luo Yuheng and that they cease all contact after their dual cultivation.

At this time, the martial arts tournament was being held as scheduled in Yongzhou City, at the Southwest Corner Field.

The martial arts tournament is open to all martial arts practitioners in Yongzhou (those without criminal records). The first stage is the preliminary selection, which anyone who registers can participate in.

After the preliminary selection, the top 100 will be determined.

The second stage is the top 100 list, where the top 100 winners compete in a ranking tournament.

This ranking list is modeled after the Central Plains Martial Arts Top 100 List.

Lei Zheng, the lord of Dragon God Fortress, and Gongsun Xiangyang, the head of the Gongsun family, are both top masters on the martial arts world's top 100 list, ranking 71st and 80th respectively.

Xu Qi'an disguised himself again, becoming an ordinary-looking man, and infiltrated Dajiaochang.

This place was originally the barracks of the city's defense troops, but it was later abandoned and left to decay for many years. Although it appears dilapidated, it is actually quite spacious.

Upon arriving at the training ground, one is greeted by a vast sea of people.

Xu Qi'an stood outside the crowd, glancing at the newly erected arena from afar. At that moment, two young swordsmen were dueling.

Their techniques and methods are utterly unscrupulous, completely disregarding martial ethics, with the sole aim of eliminating their opponent and winning.

It was indeed a bit sordid, but at least it didn't resort to unorthodox methods like emotional Swordsmanship or Swordsmanship.

"There are so many people. If we search here every day from now on, we're sure to find a host for the dragon's energy."

He held the fragment of the Earth Book in his palm, and his divine sense spread outwards like ripples.

Soon, the surrounding "scenery" was vividly recalled in my mind.

A burly man from the south had his eyes fixed on the ring, his body pressed against a woman, and he placed his rough hands on her round buttocks, kneading them vigorously.

To the left of the burly man, a thin man with a razor blade was silently cutting open the man's wallet.

A teenager in the north was also stealing wallets.

Ignoring the diverse people and events, Xu Qi'an spotted a dragon energy host watching the battle from the crowd, his hands clasped around his knees, seemingly extremely disdainful of the arena fight.

"It is the host of scattered dragon energy."

Xu Qi'an did not act rashly, because he could not determine whether this person was a wild host or bait.

In Yongzhou City, if he weren't one of the nine hosts of dragon energy, he would rather give up than take the risk.

His divine sense rippled through the crowd of onlookers and spread towards the barracks. Before long, another host of dragon energy appeared in his sensing range.

This is a two-courtyard house, extremely dilapidated, and looks like it hasn't been maintained for many years.

A group of people were sitting in the outer hall, and the dragon energy host was among them.

"They are still scattered dragon energy hosts. Even if it is a grand event like the Martial Arts Tournament, and even if there is more than one dragon energy host in Yongzhou, it is not a normal probability that they will all appear here at the same time."

"Of the two dragon energy hosts, one must be bait, or even both. Hmm? Gongsun Xiangyang?!"

Xu Qi'an spotted Gongsun Xiangyang among this group.

In the outer hall, Gongsun Xiangyang sat on a large chair, with members of the Gongsun Lineage behind him.

Sitting on equal footing with the head of the Gongsun family was a young man with gentle features, a warm smile, and a personality that made people feel at ease.

Behind the young man, from left to right:

A stern-faced young man carrying a gun; a beautiful and charming young girl; an unkempt old Daoist priest in a tattered robe; a blue-eyed man from Southern Frontier wrapped in a colorful robe; a charming woman with a delicate face and radiant eyes; and a burly man with a powerful and dignified demeanor.

And then there was a middle-aged man carrying a sword on his back. This man was expressionless, but there was a sense of resignation in his eyes. He was the host of the dragon energy.

Who are these people? Xu Qi'an's gaze lingered briefly on the girl.

At less than twenty years old, she already possessed the graceful figure of a mature woman, with large, round eyes, thick eyelashes, and a pointed chin unique to young girls.

Like Xu Lingyue, she was an extremely beautiful young woman, but Xu Lingyue was the girl next door type, gentle and weak, at least on the surface.

This young woman, with her aloof and serious demeanor, already shows the beginnings of a strong, independent woman. In a few years, she will likely be a woman like Huaiqing.

Then, he examined another beautiful woman, who was alluring yet not seductive, beautiful yet not vulgar, possessing a unique temperament.

"I don't think I've ever seen her before, but her demeanor... I feel like I've seen her somewhere before, like I've known her before," Xu Qi'an muttered to himself. Just then, he heard Gongsun Xiangyang say politely with a smile:

"How should we address you, esteemed heroes?"

Lei Zheng is a martial arts fanatic who doesn't like to get involved in affairs, so the host of the martial arts conference is Gongsun Xiangyang. He had just finished giving his speech today when this group of people invited him here.

This group of people is extremely terrifying. Even with Gongsun Xiangyang's peak fifth-rank skill, he could only make a preliminary assessment of the spear-wielding youth and the unkempt old Daoist priest.

Others simply cannot see through it.

Gongsun Xiangyang had a bold idea: most of these people were fourth-rank experts.

However, this conjecture is too shocking. In the martial arts world, fourth-rank martial artists are powerful figures who dominate their respective regions. They would only appear in large numbers in a place like the capital, where there are countless masters.

In the thirteen continents of the Great Feng, each continent has a population of tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions, and only a few fourth-rank officials will emerge from each one.

Ji Xuan.

The only seated person, a gentle-looking young man, smiled.

"Heroine Ji!"

Gongsun Xiangyang repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting.

Ji Xuan and Xu Qi'an frowned; the surname Ji made him unusually sensitive.

The young man who called himself Ji Xuan laughed and said, "We are from Qingzhou. We heard that a martial arts tournament is being held in Yongzhou, so we came to see the excitement and broaden our horizons."

He paused, then took a portrait from his pocket, placed it on the table, and said:

"The Gongsun family head is a prominent figure in Yongzhou. I would like to ask the Gongsun family head for a favor."

Without waiting for Gongsun Xiangyang's agreement, he said to himself, "If you help me find the person in the portrait, I will reward you handsomely."

Gongsun Xiangyang naturally wouldn't refuse. He took the portrait with both hands, examined it carefully, and smiled:

"Of course, of course. We will definitely send someone to inform you as soon as we have news."

It's just finding someone, a small matter, no need to offend these people over it.

Ji Xuan nodded in satisfaction, then added, "Also, there's one more small matter."

Gongsun Xiangyang adopted a listening posture.

"I would like to trouble Patriarch Gongsun to keep an eye out for someone. There is no portrait of this person, and his name is Xu Qian."

Ji Xuan took a sip of tea.

Xu Qian and Gongsun Xiangyang felt a sudden chill.

PS: Please vote for me! I was busy all day and only had time to update after I got home.