Qin Chu and Qing Yi helped Shang Shu Tianye into the room and onto the bed.
After settling Shang Shu Tianye, Qing Yi left.
Watching Qing Yi leave, Qin Chu felt he understood him a little better. Qing Yi was not someone who expressed himself well, but he was very practical, letting actions speak louder than words. Being able to Cultivate by himself after getting a large wine cup was something most people couldn't do.
Qin Chu also knew that Qing Yi and his aunt had feelings for each other. Although they didn't say it, they both showed it through their actions.
Looking at Shang Shu Tianye's white jade wine cup on the table, Qin Chu felt that his future father-in-law was quite unlucky. He couldn't outdrink him, and now he was messed with by Qing Yi. It would be hard to get back at him. Drinking wasn't a great skill, but it required talent. Forcing it without that talent would inevitably lead to suffering.
After playing with Little Golden Claw for a while, Qin Chu sat down to Cultivate. He still had some distance to go before reaching the Peak of the ninth level of the Heavenly Origin Realm, and he needed to cover that ground first.
After Cultivating all night, Qin Chu put Little Golden Claw into his Beast Taming Bracelet, then took Qing Yi and left. This time, he didn't bring Qian Xun.
Qin Chu and Qing Yi left the Vermilion Bird Sacred Clan's stronghold, got into a beast carriage, exited Tianjian City, and headed towards the Sword North Forest.
Qi Qingqing also left the city. She had been monitoring the Vermilion Bird Sacred Clan's stronghold, and Qin Chu and Qing Yi's departure was within her surveillance.
“She’s followed us,” Qin Chu said after sniffing.
“Followed us? How do you know?” Qing Yi looked at Qin Chu with some surprise.
Qin Chu smiled, “A few days ago, I refined some Linghua essential oil. Yesterday, I got some on her. When I went back yesterday, I cleaned myself, so the scent of Linghua is only on her. Now I smell the Qi of Linghua.”
“Why don’t I smell it? Also, she’s a woman, how can you be sure she wouldn’t bathe and wash off the scent?” Qing Yi looked at Qin Chu in surprise.
Qin Chu explained the details to Qing Yi. Linghua was very special; its scent was extremely faint and hard to detect. He could smell it because he was an Alchemist. As for bathing, unless she used special herbs to bathe, the scent of Linghua would not disappear, at least not for half a month. Yesterday, when he poured tea for Qi Qingqing, their hands touched. Besides their hands touching, he also got tea on Qi Qingqing's hand, then handed her a handkerchief, and Qi Qingqing used the handkerchief, which had Linghua essential oil on it, to wipe her hand.
“An Alchemist has too many tricks up his sleeve, one can’t guard against them all!” Qing Yi said to Qin Chu. He had been with Qin Chu all these days and never expected Qin Chu to play such a trick on Qi Qingqing.
“This woman is very strong, a Seventh-tier Venerable Realm expert. When fighting, Uncle Qing Yi, you must be careful, hold your ground and wait for Clan Chief Shang Shu and the others’ backup.” Qin Chu said to Qing Yi.
“Understood, just holding her back for a while, no problem,” Qing Yi said.
The beast carriage left Tianjian City and continued to advance. The faint scent of Linghua essential oil lingered, and Qin Chu knew that Qi Qingqing was still following behind.
As night fell, Qin Chu told the clansmen driving the beast carriage to stop, feed the Yao Beasts, and rest for the night before continuing their journey.
A bonfire was lit, and Qin Chu and Qing Yi sat opposite each other, drinking tea. They knew that Qi Qingqing might make her move tonight, because she wouldn't let Qin Chu reach the Sword North Forest smoothly.
As the sky completely darkened, Qi Qingqing appeared, “What a coincidence, you’re also taking this road to gather herbs?”
“Yes, where are you headed?” Qin Chu asked.
“I plan to ask you to refine Heavenly Origin Pills, but I don’t have Heavenly Fragrance Grass, so I thought of looking for it in the Sword North Forest. I plan to wait for you to come back and then ask you to perform Alchemy,” Qi Qingqing said with a smile.
As she spoke, Qi Qingqing walked towards the bonfire. Just as she was still a short distance from the fire, Qing Yi waved his arm, and his battle halberd struck out without warning.
It was clear that Qi Qingqing had malicious intentions, so Qing Yi didn’t hold back. He was never one to be indecisive.
Clang!
The sound of a long sword being drawn rang out. Qi Qingqing swung her long sword, blocking Qing Yi’s battle halberd attack, but due to Qing Yi’s strength, she was still pushed back.
“You?” Qi Qingqing’s expression changed.
“Palace Master Wuyou, Qi Qingqing, why are you pretending to be Qi Miao?” Qin Chu spoke. Qi Miao was the alias Qi Qingqing used when interacting with Qin Chu during this period.
“Heh heh! You found out, so what? You shouldn’t have left Tianjian City. The Sacred Martial Enforcement can’t reach here now, and the Venerable Realm experts of the Sword North Forest are too far away, so you can’t escape, and he must die.” Qi Qingqing swung her sword and attacked Qing Yi. She needed Qin Chu alive, but Qing Yi was in the way, so she had to kill him.
Qing Yi wielded his battle halberd and fought with Qi Qingqing.
“Overestimating yourself!” Qi Qingqing’s Sword Intent erupted, fiercely suppressing Qing Yi.
Ninth-level Sword Intent!
Feeling the Sword Intent erupting from Qi Qingqing, Qin Chu was shocked. He had seen ninth-level Sword Intent during the Sword Intent surge period in Tianjian Mountain, but that was released by Tianjian Mountain. This was the first time he had seen a Cultivator release ninth-level Sword Intent.
Qing Yi’s Spear Intent erupted. His Spear Intent was fierce. Although he was still suppressed by Qi Qingqing, he held his ground. Qin Chu felt that it should be eighth-level Spear Intent, because his seventh-level Sword Intent was vastly different from the Spear Intent emanating from Qing Yi.
The clash of experts was incredibly destructive. Near the area where Qin Chu was stationed, rocks crumbled and trees snapped.
“To have such combat power at the King Realm is impressive, but today you must die.” A protective energy shield appeared around Qi Qingqing, blocking the energy splashes. She closed in on Qing Yi, attacking him. She was a Sword Cultivator, while Qing Yi was a spear-wielding Cultivator. Qi Qingqing was at a disadvantage in ranged combat, so she wanted to engage in close combat.
“He won’t die today!” A sword light sliced through space and flew towards Qi Qingqing.
Qi Qingqing swung her sword to block, but her body was pushed back some distance, and then another sword light flew from behind Qi Qingqing.
Qi Qingqing’s expression changed. Her retreating body spun, dodging the attack of the second Sword Qi.
At this moment, Qing Yi’s battle halberd attack arrived. With a crisp clang of weapons, Qi Qingqing was pushed back due to her hurried sword strike. Two figures also appeared in the forest: Shang Shu Tianye and Su Mu.
“Are the Cultivators of your Sacred Martial Continent all so despicable in character?” Qi Qingqing’s expression changed. She knew she had been tricked.
“Despicable character… You, a Seventh-tier Venerable Realm expert, attacking a Heavenly Origin Realm Cultivator, what right do you have to question others’ character? Cultivators from your Nether Martial Continent come to our Sacred Martial Continent to show off, and you must pay the price.” Su Mu swung his long sword.