In Cloud Margin City, the Gong Clan was a rather well-known clan as well. They had their own King Realm cultivator, and regular organizations would not wish to provoke them for nothing.
Unfortunately, the patriarch of the Gong Clan had encountered trouble recently. As a result, he might lose his life at any moment. If something happened to him, the Gong Clan would be greatly affected. That was why Gong Qinyin had rushed back to the city from the Martial Hall Palace. Otherwise, she would rather stay at the Martial Hall Palace than return here. As for the reason for that, only she and her clan knew.
From Gong Qinyin's tone of voice, Xiang Shaoyun could guess that she was likely a local of Cloud Margin City. But he did not find that surprising. Everyone had their own secrets.
"Hehe, thank you for your good intentions, miss. But you are in trouble yourself. You will only make things worse for yourself if you help us," Xiang Shaoyun said. Looking at Gong Qinyin, who looked even more beautiful than before, he couldn't help but recall a certain enchanting sight he had seen once, a sight that caused his blood to boil.
For reasons unknown to Gong Qinyin herself, Xiang Shaoyun's gaze felt especially penetrating, causing her a slight amount of discomfort. She said, "They won't dare to push it that much."
"If you are really willing to help us, we can have a chat about it," Xiang Shaoyun said.
Those words put Gong Qinyin on guard as she replied, "Looks like you don't need my help after all. I'll be leaving."
Gong Qinyin kept having a feeling that the man before her was harboring evil designs. Just as she was about to leave, Xiang Shaoyun whispered, "Senior Sister Gong, it's me, Xiang Shaoyun!"
Gong Qinyin instantly stopped in her steps. With an astonished expression, she stared at Xiang Shaoyun, trying to find some clues from his face.
"Don't bother. I'm wearing a mask," Xiang Shaoyun said. He then gestured at Gong Qinyin before walking back to his room.
Mo Mo followed closely behind him as she thought, The young master is indeed someone with a background.
After a slight hesitation, Gong Qinyin went with them as well. He is indeed still alive! Gong Qinyin thought to herself, a slight trace of joy surfacing at the realization.
After the Golden River Valley battle, Xiang Shaoyun had gone missing. Everyone assumed that he had been killed by the gold serpentine crocodiles. Surprisingly, he was alive and had even arrived at Cloud Margin City.
She still remembered how back then she would be extremely fierce whenever she met Xiang Shaoyun. But now, she felt no anger toward him. Instead, she was glad he was alive. Not even she herself had noticed the change in her attitude toward him.
Gong Qinyin followed Xiang Shaoyun back to his room. As for Mo Mo, she tactfully stayed outside the room and did not follow them inside. In the room, Xiang Shaoyun took his human skin mask off and smiled at Gong Qinyin. "Senior Sister Gong, it has been a while."
"It really is you!" Gong Qinyin cried out in excitement.
"Senior Sister Gong, you can't keep trying to kill me anymore, ok? I still remember your promise that so long as I can defeat the Gateflag Academy people, the grudge between us will be erased," Xiang Shaoyun quickly said, afraid that she would suddenly do something drastic.
Gong Qinyin burst out in laughter when she saw how nervous Xiang Shaoyun was. Her smile was as enchanting as a blooming flower, causing Xiang Shaoyun to blank out slightly staring at her.
"Senior sister, you are so beautiful!" Xiang Shaoyun praised her with heartfelt sincerity.
Xiang Shaoyun had seen a lot of beauties, but Gong Qinyin's natural smile was still a sight that warmed the heart and delighted the eyes.
Gong Qinyin glared at Xiang Shaoyun and said, "Don't think I will spare you just because you are a smooth talker. The grudge between us won't be settled so easily."
Whenever she thought of how Xiang Shaoyun had once seen her naked, she would blush uncontrollably.
"Cough, cough, fine, if that is not enough to settle the grudge, the only thing I have left to offer is my body." Xiang Shaoyun shrugged.
"Ohh look at how pitiful you look. Do you think I actually desire you?" Gong Qinyin grumbled.
"Yeah, you better not," Xiang Shaoyun said.
"Bastard, are you saying I'm not worthy of you?" Gong Qinyin said furiously.
Xiang Shaoyun replied gloomily, "Those are your own words. You can’t blame me for that!"
"Talking to you is a waste of time," Gong Qinyin snorted coldly.
"Alright senior sister, let's talk about something else. I need to know if you really have information on the millennium earthcore fire," Xiang Shaoyun asked.
Gong Qinyin looked at Xiang Shaoyun and asked, "You overheard everything we said earlier?"
Xiang Shaoyun nodded. "Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn't have risked revealing my identity to you."
If he hadn't overheard them, he would have assumed that Gong Qinyin was on Wen Jinnuo's side and wouldn't have dared to reveal his identity to her.
"You're interested in the millennium earthcore fire as well?" Gong Qinyin asked.
"Yes, I need it to refine some stuff," Xiang Shaoyun replied seriously.
Gong Qinyin sighed, "Our Gong Clan needs it urgently as well, but it is located at a dangerous location. Furthermore, the information about that location has long been spread, and a large number of people are eying it as well. I doubt we stand any chance at getting it."
"How will we know without trying?" Xiang Shaoyun replied.
"Fine, I'll tell you the location." Gong Qinyin hesitated slightly but still decided to tell Xiang Shaoyun what she knew.
After all, it was not really a secret anymore. It did not matter if Xiang Shaoyun knew about it as well. It turned out that the millennium earthcore fire was located at an uninhabited area not far from Cloud Margin City. One could reach the place in about two or three days of journey.
It was initially a dormant volcano that had for some reason erupted suddenly and turned into a flaming mountain. Before long, it was discovered that a millennium earthcore fire had appeared there.
With that discovery, the Cloud Margin Pavilion decreed that only those below the King Realm would be allowed to fight over the millennium earthcore fire. Entry would be prohibited for all above that cultivation realm.
There was a reason for that decision. They were creating an opportunity for their disciples to fight over the fire and see if there was a lucky disciple who could obtain the fire and quickly rise into the King Realm through the struggles.
Not long ago, a large number of cultivators below the King Realm went there trying to subdue the fire. However, a large majority of them had died. Gong Qinyin had learned all that from Wen Jinnuo.
"Currently, the Flame Mountain has turned into a tempering location just for Cloud Margin Pavilion disciples. It won't be easy for others to enter that place," Gong Qinyin said with a dispirited expression.
"Haha, doesn't that make things better? Without Kings, it will be much easier for us to obtain the fire," Xiang Shaoyun said.
"Yeah, keep smiling. Although your combat power is rather impressive, how can you compare with the disciples of Cloud Margin Pavilion?" Gong Qinyin said. She paused for a bit and shifted the topic, "Also, you have your issue with the Wen Clan. Aren't you worried at all?"
"What is there to worry about? If I walk out now just like this, they won't even recognize me. And I don't even need to do that to deal with them," Xiang Shaoyun said confidently.