---
Qi Yuan felt a bit frustrated. While the Tianlei Zi was powerful, it had a major drawback—it completely destroyed the enemy's storage bags. In the end, all his efforts were in vain.
Tonight, he had killed three Foundation Establishment cultivators in a row, yet only managed to claim Chen Yuer's spoils.
What a huge loss!
"Senior, is something wrong?"
Xin Ruyin flew over, her usually calm face showing a trace of joy. Her starry eyes sparkled, but upon seeing Qi Yuan's heavy expression, she couldn't help but ask.
Hearing her question, Qi Yuan looked at her seriously, his mind turning. He sighed and said, "It's nothing. It's just that the treasure I used to kill the enemy was too destructive, completely obliterating their spoils. It feels like a waste."
Xin Ruyin's expression changed slightly, as if feeling indebted. This situation had arisen because of her, and the previously agreed-upon reward in spirit stones was clearly not enough. After a brief hesitation, she pursed her lips and said, "This happened because of me, and you suffered losses because of it. When we return, I'll craft a few powerful formation tools for you. If that's not enough, I can also teach you formation techniques as compensation."
The Chen family had already suffered many setbacks. Even if Brother Qi had followed her as originally planned, they would have perished anyway!
For some reason, Fang felt relieved, grateful that Xiaomei had invited Qi Yuan to help her.
"Senior, you've been so kind to me. I have no way to repay you. In my next life, I can only serve as your devoted servant to show my gratitude," Xiaomei said, her eyes dim with emotion. She had nothing to her name and knew nothing except how to serve others.
Qi Yuan noticed that the two women felt indebted and realized it wasn't the right time to pressure them further. Instead, he would slowly win them over, using the "boiling frog" method to gain their trust.
Just then, his spiritual sense detected movement—someone was approaching from the direction of the Chen family. It seemed the fire had been contained, and the Chen family's experts were now tracking them.
The battle and the explosion of the Heavenly Thunder must have alarmed their high-level cultivators.
"The Chen family is coming. You two leave first—I'll delay them," Qi Yuan said.
A flicker of excitement flashed in his eyes. He wondered if the combination of his Magic Harp and the Inverted Five Elements Field could allow him, at his current cultivation level, to rival a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Fight?
Even though the Magic Harp was damaged, a lean camel was still bigger than a horse. The weapon's grade hadn't lowered, only its power had diminished. It was no longer capable of harming a Jindan-stage cultivator.
However, that didn't mean Foundation Establishment cultivators could easily withstand it.
The only problem was that the two women were too weak. If they stayed, they would become easy targets, limiting his options in battle.
Xiaomei's face instantly turned pale. Her lips lost color, and her dark eyes became dull.
Another wave of enemies?
The senior had already exhausted most of his strength in the last battle. They had no means of escape.
Xin Ruyin, though also pale for a moment, quickly regained her composure. Her delicate hands emerged from her sleeves, revealing two dark yellow flags engraved with mysterious runes. In a soft voice, she said:
"I have a way to avoid detection. This formation is called the Soul Fusion Formation—it merges everything within it into one entity. Unless a Jindan cultivator examines the area closely, we'll remain undetectable."
After speaking, Xin Ruyin met the two people's expectant gazes. A slight blush tinged her otherwise calm face. The formation could indeed hide them from Foundation Establishment cultivators, but its range was limited—it could only accommodate two people.
Which meant they would have to squeeze together...
Xiaomei's eyes lit up with excitement as she eagerly waited for her lady to make the arrangements.
Qi Yuan, intrigued by the formation's properties, nodded. Since they had a way to conceal themselves, he could save his strength for another time.
"Miss Xin, please set up the formation. The Chen family will be here soon," he said.
Xin Ruyin walked toward a rocky outcrop and hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Senior, please... hold us tightly."
Xiaomei: "…"
Qi Yuan was briefly stunned but said nothing. Without hesitation, he pulled the two women into his embrace. Their soft bodies pressed against him, filling the air with a subtle fragrance. He focused his mind, refusing to let it wander.
Having been in his arms multiple times before, Xin Ruyin had grown numb to the sensation. A faint sense of dependence crept into her heart before she suddenly snapped back to reality.
What was she thinking at such a critical moment?
The dark yellow flags landed on the ground, emitting a faint glow that enveloped the three of them. From the outside, they vanished into thin air.
Pressing against Qi Yuan's chest, Xin Ruyin could feel his warm breath near her. Her mind grew hazy for a moment. She tilted her head slightly, glancing at his face up close. Pursing her lips, she softly reminded him, "Senior, the space in this formation is very limited. Be careful—if any part of our clothing extends beyond the light shield, we'll be discovered."
Qi Yuan had already noticed the problem. No wonder Xin Ruyin had suddenly become so flustered earlier—this formation forced them into close proximity.
Before, he had always taken the initiative to hold them as necessary.
Now that the situation was reversed, it was Xin Ruyin who felt awkward.
"Let me check for any flaws," Qi Yuan whispered.
He examined their surroundings. The light shield barely covered their bodies, pressing against their clothing. If they shifted even slightly, they would be exposed.
Frowning in concern, Qi Yuan remained still.
"Senior, is there a problem?" Xin Ruyin asked cautiously, watching his expression.
Qi Yuan whispered, "Shh, someone's coming."
From the horizon, several streaks of light flew toward them.
Leading them was a young man dressed in black. His sharp features and late-stage Foundation Establishment aura exuded coldness. He halted before Luo Mingfang's corpse, his expression dark.
"Search the area. The battle just ended—they couldn't have gone far," he commanded.
"Dad, do you think they ran away?" Chen Honghao asked after inspecting the bodies.
The young ancestor of the Chen family narrowed his eyes. "Unlikely. While I was putting out the fire, I kept my spiritual sense locked onto the area. The fight ended recently, yet there are no signs of their escape. They must be nearby."
Chen Honghao's eyes flickered with realization. He crouched down to examine the corpses. Seeing that two of the dead were Luo family members, shock flashed across his face.
The Luo family was after Xin Ruyin too?
The Chen family members continued their search but soon returned with empty hands.
Chen Honghao approached the black-clothed man and whispered, "Father, we didn't find them."
"If someone dares to kill my son and daughter, I'll hunt them down, no matter what," the Chen ancestor growled, his voice filled with murderous intent.
This was no longer a simple blood feud. Losing two Foundation Establishment cultivators had left the Chen family severely weakened.
In just a day or two, word would spread, and their enemies would take advantage of the situation. Even if he managed to gather resources for Core Formation, he wouldn't dare to enter secluded cultivation under such circumstances.
Time and manpower were slipping away.
Zhang Tie, Xin Ruyin—my Chen family will see you dead!
(End of Chapter)