Chapter 187.1 - Divine Soul Sprout |
In the manor where the exchange group from the Sunset Royal Academy was staying, almost everyone was pointing and whispering about Shi Liumang, who sat alone by a small stream, lost in thought.
Shi Liumang, known as the fifth young master of the Nord family, had long been a well-known figure. However, it drew attention that he remained here today, the day of the Nord family’s grand ceremony.
Huo Siqin and Feng Ruoyu, who usually stayed close to him, did not approach him today. Instead, they were huddled together at a distance, engaged in a conversation whose contents were unknown.
Several guards patrolled nearby, occasionally casting glances at the absent-minded Shi Liumang. A few gardeners, while lazily working on weeding, also stole glances in his direction.
At that moment, two middle-aged men exuding a fierce aura descended from the sky. Judging by their powerful presence, they seemed to have reached the level of Earth-ranked warriors.
The two men glanced at Shi Liumang, and the tension in their expressions eased slightly. However, like everyone else, they appeared highly puzzled. Given that everyone knew his identity, why did he continue to pretend?
The two Earth-ranked powerhouses positioned themselves, seemingly ready to observe Shi Liumang’s every move.
As noon approached, Shi Liumang remained in a daze, seemingly unaware of his surroundings. He blinked his confused eyes occasionally, but his posture remained unchanged throughout.
“Second brother, something’s not right with Qi Bei. Is he pretending to be foolish or is he really foolish?” One of the blue-clad Earth-ranked warriors spoke to the white-clad one.
The middle-aged man in the blue attire nodded, his figure flashed, and a gust of wind swept past Shi Liumang, lifting him several meters high in the air before slamming him forcefully onto the ground. He coughed up blood as he lay there.
The man in white suddenly narrowed his pupils and immediately stepped forward. He grabbed a handful of Shi Liumang’s hair and yanked it downward, tearing off a magical mask.
However, the face beneath the mask was not Qi Bei at all. Instead, it was the face of a pale, bulbous-nosed, crooked-mouthed fool.
“We’ve been deceived. He’s not Qi Bei. The real Qi Bei has already slipped away from our surveillance,” the white-clad man shouted angrily.
“Second brother, what should we do?” the blue-clad man asked.
“Report it to the higher-ups, damn it. My brother and I are in deep trouble this time,” the white-clad man gritted his teeth. This was a major issue, and he dared not conceal it. Concealing it would likely result in a more painful consequence than death itself.
The guards, gardeners, and servants busied themselves, transmitting the news of Qi Bei’s escape from his golden cicada shedding.
Qi Bei had used the golden cicada shedding technique before. When he escaped from West Spirit City, he also used a substitute. Now, he had used it again and it had proven effective.
It seemed that even after his true identity was exposed, Qi Bei continued to use the mask and maintain this persona for a specific purpose.
At this moment, the major mysterious forces gathered in the Golden Leaf Imperial Capital were in chaos. It seemed that they were more interested in Qi Bei than the Nord family. The Nord family was not the main focus; Qi Bei was.
In a dark underground secret passage, Qi Bei had reverted to his original appearance and was assessing the girl in front of him.
The girl wore tight-fitting clothes that accentuated her curvaceous body. Her ample and firm breasts created a perfect curve that tightened after protruding, while her perky buttocks formed an even more enticing silhouette. Even through her clothes, her sex appeal was astounding.
Not to mention the girl’s dreamlike and enchanting face. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she had an angelic face and a devilish figure. However, her two gray, elongated ears were the only flaw, clearly indicating her identity as a gothic girl.
“Ye Longsha…” After a moment, Qi Bei raised his eyebrows and spoke.
The girl stared at Qi Bei with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She neither confirmed nor denied, but a hint of resentment could be seen deep within her gaze.
“You don’t have to deny it. I know it’s you because I saw you entering the Nord Residence,” Qi Bei said.
“Well, I won’t deny it. I didn’t expect that scoundrel to be you in disguise, or rather, you don’t even need a disguise because you’re a real scoundrel,” Ye Longsha said.
“Did we have any unresolved issues in the past? Your resentful gaze towards me doesn’t seem like something that developed overnight,” Qi Bei raised an eyebrow and asked.
“Guess,” Ye Longsha gritted her teeth.
“No need to guess. I already know who you are. There aren’t many Goths I’ve had dealings with, and besides the Goth couple I encountered three years ago when I went to West Spirit City, there aren’t many others I have grudges with,” Qi Bei smiled and examined Ye Longsha before saying again, “I have to admit, you really look convincing in that pregnant disguise. So, what is your true identity?”
“Guess again,” Ye Longsha calmed down, her gaze showing a hint of surprise.
“Old Kurt sent me here to find you, probably for some kind of deal you reached with him. And to catch the attention of the old man, your status among the Goths must be quite high. Could it be that you’re a princess?” Qi Bei chuckled.
Ye Longsha’s beautiful eyes flickered, and after a moment of silence, she said, “No wonder you’ve managed to come this far from being a mere playboy. It’s definitely not just luck.”
“Even if we had some grudges in the past, it was for our own survival and interests. Since you’ve reached a deal with the old man, I suppose the past issues are no longer a problem. The old man sent me here, so it’s not for a reunion with you, I assume,” Qi Bei said. He would never underestimate this Gothic princess. Her ruthless methods, demonstrated when she mercilessly killed the young Goth man to keep the secret from leaking, were not to be underestimated. This Gothic princess was cruel and ruthless.
Ye Longsha narrowed her eyes slightly. Three years ago, although she was lucky enough to escape, Qi Bei had torn off her clothes along with the fake belly. She was left naked in the icy snow for three days until she found a female corpse and took her clothes to avoid freezing.
But because of that incident, she fell ill and nearly died in the harsh winter of the Northwest. Every time she thought about it, she gnashed her teeth in hatred for Qi Bei.
However, now is not the time to settle scores. At least for now, the two of them are on the same boat, and their interests align.
“Follow me,” Ye Longsha said, and walked forward. Qi Bei followed closely behind her, like a shadow.
The secret passage was not straight but twisted and turned, going up and down like a roller coaster. Seemingly aware of Qi Bei’s confusion, Ye Longsha explained without turning her head, “This tunnel was built according to a special pattern that can shield powerful individuals and certain unique abilities of magic beasts.”
“I’m impressed,” Qi Bei sincerely commented. The fact that the tunnel was dug at a depth and angle that coincided with a specific point in nature, creating a shielding effect, amazed him. The Goths truly lived up to being descendants of the goblin race, who had mastered the art of underground construction to an unparalleled level.
Before long, Ye Longsha led Qi Bei to the end of the secret passage.
At the end was a neatly circular pit that led directly above. The pit was covered with blood-red metal plates, embedded with many magic crystals and other energy stones.
“You go down and sit in the center. That way, you can absorb the incoming energy,” Ye Longsha said.
“Okay,” Qi Bei nodded. But just as he was about to jump down, he turned back and smiled, “My dear Princess, can you guarantee that there’s nothing else going on here?”
“Of course. I promised the old man that I would ensure the absorption of the incoming energy,” Ye Longsha replied with a hint of anger.
“Alright. Let’s assume I was wrong to doubt you,” Qi Bei smiled.
“Well, that’s about right… Ah…” Ye Longsha’s face cleared up slightly, but the next moment, she let out a scream. A hand shot out with lightning speed, grabbed her, and threw her down.