After returning to the Zhenghe Sect, Mo Qi's abdominal wound gradually healed.
This incident made Mo Qi realize that he had likely committed too many killings last time.
From now on, he should hold back and show mercy, especially towards female cultivators!
Mo Qi continued to stay at the Zhenghe Sect. With people attending to his needs daily, he suddenly didn't want to leave.
During his leisure time, he refined a batch of elixirs and entrusted them to someone to deliver to the elixir shops affiliated with the Lingxiao Sect, who then resold them.
He also didn't forget to cultivate. His Divine Sense Vajra Art had reached the tenth level, and combined with his perfected Golden Robe, his defensive power had reached a monstrous level.
However, the Undying Golden Body Elixir could still be refined continuously to further strengthen his golden body.
He didn't know if true invincibility could be achieved, but he was striving hard in that direction. Big Wind Novel
Several months later, Mo Qi received a telepathic message from Lu Xiaoyue, stating that the Dinglong Pearl was about to appear in the Tongtian Secret Realm. The academy had conducted a series of competitions and selections, choosing a group of outstanding students to undergo trials in the Tongtian Secret Realm.
The "heroes" who participated in the previous competition against the Heavenly God Academy were exempt from the trials and directly qualified.
The Dinglong Pearl was rumored to be a spiritual treasure from the Sacred Heaven Realm. During the ancient war between the Wu and Yao tribes, when the Wu tribe was at a disadvantage, the Jade Treasure Heavenly Venerate refined four pearls from meteorites in the outer heavens to help the Wu tribe repel the Dragon tribe multiple times. These four pearls were named Dinglong Pearls.
However, during the final decisive battle, these four Dinglong Pearls were scattered throughout the Primordial Sea, and their whereabouts have been unknown ever since.
Without a second thought, Mo Qi decided to participate in the trial.
This was a rare opportunity, and he might even encounter some fortuitous encounters during the trial.
Before he left, Xue Ying gave Mo Qi a Life Spirit Stone, saying she had one too. Through this Life Spirit Stone, if one of them was in danger, the other would be alerted.
Mo Qi accepted the Life Spirit Stone and headed towards the Qionglu Realm.
Upon arriving at the academy, Xiao Yin was already waiting at the dormitory entrance. As soon as he saw Mo Qi, he got straight to the point, informing him to gather at the academy's main gate in three days, where Supervisor Yue would lead the team to the Tongtian Secret Realm.
After saying this, he left.
Mo Qi entered his room. Du Gu Jun was still reading. Seeing Mo Qi enter, a slight smile appeared on his face: "Long time no see. I didn't expect you to go missing to escape your romantic debts. It seems being too charming is also a kind of trouble."
Mo Qi knew that anything he said could be relayed to Xue Nü or Lu Xiaoyue through Du Gu Jun, so he immediately retorted: "How can that be called hiding? I just had something to attend to, so I went to deal with it."
"You went to exterminate a sect, didn't you?" Du Gu Jun chuckled.
As Mo Qi walked further in, he said: "Your Du Gu family is truly resourceful. I was so secretive, yet you still found out."
"The whole world knows. You acted as if you were afraid no one would know, even announcing it loudly. The sound reached our dormitory."
"Is it that exaggerated?"
"Whether it's exaggerated or not, I don't know. But the Murong family won't let this go. You'd better prepare for a storm, you scoundrel!" Du Gu Jun said.
"Who cares? If it's destiny, I'll face it. If it's misfortune, I can't avoid it." Mo Qi sat on the bed, leaning against the wall. "By the way, are you going for the trial too?"
Du Gu Jun smiled: "Yes, I am. Although I didn't participate in any matches, I was still part of the inter-academy competition. After winning, the credit is also mine. This is all thanks to you. Thank you!"
"You're welcome. Even if I had to bring a dog, I'd make sure it won with me!"
"You scoundrel!"
Just then, Xue Nü arrived again. She walked into the room and immediately closed the door behind her.
Mo Qi sat up nervously.
Xue Nü sat on the edge of the bed and said with a hint of melancholy: "Where have you been all this time? Why did you disappear without a word?"
"I went to handle some matters," Mo Qi replied.
Xue Nü had also heard about Mo Qi destroying the Taihe Sect. She didn't want to bring it up now and instead fell silent.
Xue Nü glanced at Mo Qi, parted her red lips as if to speak, then sighed softly and turned to look out the window, her gaze somewhat distant.
The air felt strangely eerie.
Seeing Xue Nü's hesitant expression, Mo Qi felt that something must have happened.
"What's wrong, Xue?" Mo Qi asked softly.
"Murong Jing and I are going to be engaged," Xue Nü said softly, lowering her head.
As she spoke, a crystal tear rolled down her cheek.
Mo Qi shot up from his seat: "Is this your wish? You don't even have any connection with him!"
Seeing her tears fall like broken pearls, he realized his question was redundant and slowly sat back down.
Xue Nü said faintly: "After my grandfather died, our family lost its backbone and support. My father, despite knowing his limitations, harbored great ambitions and insisted on becoming the leader of the Tiandu Sect."
"Under his leadership, the surrounding Du Gu, Nangong, and Murong families all eyed him covetously. He himself felt the precariousness of his position, living in constant fear and anxiety, never sleeping soundly."
"Now, he has considered every possible method to sleep soundly. Finally, he thought of a political marriage. For this, my sister has already been engaged to Du Gu Zhen, Du Gu Jun's cousin. But he is still not satisfied. He feels that securing one family is not enough, so he is meticulously planning to marry me off, targeting the young masters of the major families."
"Coincidentally, Murong Jing showed me favor at this time, and we reached an agreement."
Mo Qi's mind was a jumble of thoughts, a complete blank.
"Do you agree?" After a long pause, Mo Qi asked cautiously, staring at Xue Nü.
Xue Nü managed a bitter smile through her tears: "You know my feelings..."
"I know your feelings. What can I do for you?" Mo Qi asked softly, looking into her eyes.
"Marry me!" Xue Nü met his gaze and said.
Mo Qi's heart skipped a beat. This was the request he had feared.
Once, he had longed for such a life: moonlit nights, intimate conversations, shared affection, and growing old together, supporting each other.
But as his experience grew, his mindset gradually changed.
If he were to marry now, he would need to find a stable home, settle down, have children, and support his family.
At most, while balancing family life, he would develop a cultivation sect and become a regional overlord.
However, his current aspirations went far beyond that.
He now knew that there were Four Great Continents, and beyond this world, there was a Heaven, and beyond that Heaven, there were even more Heavens.
He didn't want to confine himself to this small space.
He wanted to venture out, to the heavens beyond, and even further...
With the ties of family, this would be difficult to achieve.
In short, he didn't want to get married now. He was willing to be a Dao companion, but that might be mistaken for being a scoundrel, yet he didn't want to be a scoundrel!
Mo Qi hesitated for a moment and said: "Ordinary people live for decades, and engagement periods are usually about a year... Our lifespans should be thousands of years. Calculating based on this..."
Xue Nü's expression changed slightly, her delicate face turning frosty: "Alright, you don't need to say anything more. I understand."
Mo Qi felt she still didn't understand and said: "No, it's not that I don't want to..."
Xue Nü didn't want to hear him continue and immediately interrupted: "Tomorrow, my father is organizing a Dao discussion meeting at my home. People from various major families will be attending, with the aim of forming alliances. I hope you can accompany me, so that Murong Jing will retreat."
"Aren't you slapping your father's face by doing that?" Mo Qi chuckled.
Xue Nü thought for a moment and revealed a troubled expression: "Then perhaps you shouldn't go."
"If I don't go, will I just stand by and watch you fall into a fiery pit?" Mo Qi said.
The next day, Xue Nü arrived at Mo Qi's residence as promised, and together they headed to the Chao Residence in Lingyue City.
The Chao Residence was indeed grand. Representatives from the three major families, the Tang family, the Li family, and the Song family, were all present, making it a lively affair.
Among the four major families, only the Yuwen family was absent. Even the Nangong family sent representatives, showing them great respect despite the fact that they were selecting a potential spouse.
It was unclear what Chao Jing was thinking. Just a few months ago, he had seized their territory, and now he was likely trying to resolve their conflict through "Dao discussions."
Unexpectedly, when he extended an olive branch, the Nangong family actually sent people. Did they truly let go of their grudges? It was unlikely to be that simple.
The so-called Dao discussion was essentially a gathering where people ate and drank, then engaged in free-ranging discussions on various topics.
At this moment, Chao Jing, Du Gu Sheng, Du Gu Zhen (leader of the Hongdu Sect), Tang Zheng Tian, Murong Shui (newly appointed Deputy Leader of the Sixth Tier), and Murong Mu (leader of the Lingdu Sect) were chatting in the garden.
The group was fawning over Du Gu Sheng, praising him as young and promising, successful in his career, resourceful, and exceptionally intelligent, destined for greatness.
Du Gu Sheng, flattered, repeatedly said, "Where, where."
Across the pond, another group of people was gathered around a stone table, some standing, some sitting.
It was a group of women, the female family members of those men.
They were discussing topics like cosmetics and health-preserving elixirs.
As Xue Nü led Mo Qi in, Murong Yanran and Du Gu Qiuyue spotted them and called out, "Sister Xue, come over here!"
Xue Nü slowly walked over, and Mo Qi had no choice but to follow her.
Everyone looked at Xue Nü as she approached, feeling as if a fairy from a world of ice and snow had descended upon them. They praised her, saying, "Miss Chao is truly growing up to be so graceful!"
"Yes, she's truly a beauty of the highest order!"
"Simply stunning!"
"Whoever marries you is truly blessed by three lifetimes of good fortune."
"Hey, didn't they say you were going to be engaged to Murong Jing? Why aren't you with him?"
However, Xiang Lan, Du Gu Sheng's wife, noticed Mo Qi behind Xue Nü and wore a peculiar expression: "Who is this?"
Xiang Lan was plump and fleshy, with a loud voice that made Du Gu Sheng frown repeatedly.
If it weren't for the fact that divorcing his first wife would affect his image as an official of the higher tiers, he would have divorced her long ago.
She had been very beautiful once, which was why Du Gu Sheng had liked her and become her Dao companion.
However, after marriage, Xiang Lan not only made no effort to improve herself but also spent her days indulging in food and entertainment, quickly becoming obese.
He felt embarrassed every time he took her out, yet she seemed completely oblivious, always flaunting herself beside him, and with such a loud voice, as if afraid others wouldn't know she was his wife.
Xue Nü quickly gestured to Mo Qi beside her and said with a smile, "This is my friend, Mo Xin."
Mo Qi immediately corrected her: "My name is Mo Qi."
Since Wan Beifeng was dead anyway, there was no need for him to be so cautious. It was time to revert to his real name, otherwise, he always felt awkward.
These women could immediately sense something different about the two of them. In such a Dao discussion setting, why would he bring a man with him if not for a specific reason?
Murong Mu's wife, Xiao Ruonan, and daughter, Murong Yanran, immediately showed hostility, staring at Mo Qi.