After Sun Qian's grandfather, Sun Xingwang, left, Gu Hong eagerly stepped forward and asked, "What did your grandfather bring you?"
Sun Qian's face flushed, and she lowered her voice, saying, "It's the medicinal pill he mentioned."
Gu Hong immediately shrieked, "How, how is that possible?"
Then, realizing her outburst, she quickly lowered her voice, "No way, did he really calculate that accurately?"
Seeing them whispering, Mo Qi knew his flash of inspiration had paid off again. He turned and walked back into the house.
"Forgive others when you can," he thought. He didn't want to embarrass Sun Qian.
However, the voices of Gu Hong and Sun Qian, chatting intermittently, reached his ears.
"Do you think he guessed, or did he really calculate it?"
"He probably calculated it. After all, he predicted the deputy chief would be struck by lightning in the plaza, and it really happened."
"Then, is that skin-beautifying pill he gave actually effective?"
"What does it matter if it's effective? You've already thrown it away."
"I'll look for it again."
Then came a rustling sound.
A moment later.
"Found it, it's here."
"Ah? It's so dirty, do you really intend to eat it?"
"It's fine, for beauty, I'll risk it."
Another moment passed.
"You made a bet with him, and now you've lost. Do you really have to marry him?"
"A bet is a bet, I... I admit it."
"Sigh, if I had known, I would have bet with him."
"Hmm? Didn't you say he was crazy?"
"Didn't you say the same thing?"
"I... but I think he's indeed different from ordinary people."
"How is he different?"
"I can't quite say, it's just different."
"How about I go tell him that the bet can be voided? Marriage is not a trivial matter. He himself said so, and I think he'll agree."
"Ah, no..."
"What's wrong? Could it be that you've actually taken a liking to him?"
"No, no, I just want to see if we truly have fate."
"Have you considered that in a month, he has a life-and-death duel? What if he gets killed?"
"He won't, he definitely won't die."
"Shameless!"
At this moment, Mo Qi emerged from the house again and looked at Sun Qian, "Miss, would you accompany me for a walk?"
Sun Qian replied, "Alright!"
Gu Hong interjected, "No!"
Sun Qian looked at Gu Hong, "Just let him walk around with me, I won't let him act recklessly."
Gu Hong thought for a moment, sighed, and looked at Mo Qi, "I hope you won't hurt her."
Mo Qi's gaze was firm, "We have so much fate, how could I possibly hurt her?"
Alright, whatever you say now!
"Where in this tribe are there no people?" Mo Qi asked as they walked side by side on the road.
Sun Qian replied, "The back mountain, no one goes to the back mountain."
"Then let's go to the back mountain."
Sun Qian looked at him warily, "What are you going to do?"
Mo Qi felt bewildered, "What, am I going to eat you?"
"Then... why are we going to the back mountain?"
"It's for your own good. We'll wander around, but we can't be discovered. If we are, they'll blame you," Mo Qi said.
"Oh, alright then, let's wander around the back mountain, but you really mustn't do anything to me," Sun Qian said meekly.
"I won't, I'm a good person," Mo Qi replied.
On the way to the back mountain, Mo Qi inquired about the Red Leaf Kingdom from Sun Qian.
The kingdom where the Blackwater Tribe was located was called the Red Leaf Kingdom. The current ruler was Gong Gong. It was said that he came from a certain star world. Initially, Gong Gong served as a general in the original Red Leaf Kingdom. Later, he allied with the Green Leaf Kingdom, overthrew the original Red Leaf Kingdom, and established his own regime, but he did not change the name. This was because the area they were in connected to patches of red leaves growing on Bodhi trees, and each red leaf represented a star world.
However, the current Industrial Kingdom was much smaller than the original Red Leaf Kingdom because Gong Gong had allocated a portion of the territory to the Green Leaf Kingdom after establishing his rule.
And their world was located in the branches of the tree. All the nutrients from the star worlds would flow back to the branches for the people in the trunk world to absorb. People in the trunk world had to cultivate from a young age, facing numerous killings, with a very high mortality rate, making it difficult to grow. Moreover, the environment was quite harsh, constantly facing natural disasters and strange fires, unlike the safety of the star worlds.
Outside the Red Leaf Kingdom were the Green Leaf Kingdom, the Orange Leaf Kingdom, the Yellow Leaf Kingdom, and the Cyan Leaf Kingdom, which together formed the Iron Tree Empire. The entire Iron Tree was one layer of the world. Outside this layer of the world, there were countless such tree worlds standing on the banks of the Milky River, and the entire Milky River basin was another layer of the world.
Beyond the Milky River basin, there were no other worlds, he didn't know.
The current Red Leaf Kingdom had three vassal states below it: Liang, Jin, and Wei, as well as some smaller tribes. The original Red Leaf Kingdom had become the current Flowing Cloud Tribe, and the tribe leader's name was Ye Gang.
Mo Qi's heart stirred: Ye Gang, that was Ye Xiaochen's father! His uncle, he was still alive!
Flowing Cloud Tribe? Mo Qi suddenly had a feeling that he was getting closer to home!
"Then, where did the former king of the Red Leaf Kingdom, Ye Xingqun, go?" Mo Qi asked cautiously.
"His whereabouts are unknown, perhaps he is dead!" Sun Qian replied.
Mo Qi's heart gradually grew cold!
"What's wrong?" Sun Qian asked with concern.
"Nothing," Mo Qi coughed dryly and said, "How many people are in your tribe?"
"Tens of thousands, perhaps!"
"How old are you?"
"Is it appropriate to ask a girl her age?"
As they walked, the two arrived under a tree and sat side by side on the grass.
Sun Qian was a little nervous and shifted away.
Mo Qi handed Sun Qian a Beast Soul Pill, "Here's a pill for you. It won't offer much help, but it's the thought that counts."
Sun Qian took the pill in her hand. It was crystal clear and shimmering, dazzling her eyes. "Who refined this pill? How could such a high-quality pill be refined?"
"It was refined by a peerless master, invincible across all realms," Mo Qi said.
"What is this master's name?" Sun Qian asked curiously.
"Ye Yun!"
"What a familiar name, I feel like I've heard it somewhere."
Seeing that Sun Qian had swallowed the pill, Mo Qi asked again, "What are the resources the tribal chief mentioned? And where are they?"
Sun Qian suddenly stood up, "So, you tricked me into coming out to get information from me."
Mo Qi patted the spot beside him, "Don't get agitated, sit down and talk. We're not outsiders."
"I, why should I sit down?" Sun Qian said meekly.
"If you don't sit down, I'll leave. You know my divination and deduction skills are unparalleled in the world, so I can naturally deduce the location of those resources. And if someone else discovers them later, I will tell them that you guided me there. But if you tell me the location, I will keep it a secret for you," Mo Qi said calmly.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Sun Qian asked angrily.
"Because we are family," Mo Qi continued calmly, "I can't possibly discuss confidential matters with outsiders when I have my own people."
His gentle demeanor and soft tone made it seem as if he were truly discussing matters with family.
Sun Qian couldn't help but sit down again, "If you can figure it out, then go figure it out, but I beg you, don't say it was me. If you do that, you're not treating me as one of your own."
"Alas," Mo Qi sighed, "I need your help, but you're unwilling to lend a hand, and you don't consider me one of your own either."
After speaking, he stared at her intently.
Sun Qian, blushing, pointed in a direction.
Mo Qi looked in the direction she pointed. Ahead were two large trees, their foliage obscuring much of the view, suggesting a hidden world beyond.
Mo Qi stood up, "Are you coming with me, or am I going alone?"
Sun Qian shook her head, "I'm not going, you go by yourself."
"Let's go together. Now you can only follow me, otherwise, they won't let you go."
"You... I knew it, you've been setting traps for me step by step, all to find the resources and then leave this place."
"Traps? It's hard to trick someone who doesn't like you into following you. My martial arts are mediocre, I don't think I can do that, so you're following me because you like me."
"Who likes you, you shameless person!"
"But I like you," Mo Qi said without reservation.
Whether it was out of respect for fate or for some other reason, Mo Qi felt no resistance towards the girl in front of him. Perhaps he saw a trace of Zhen Zhen from his past in her.
But he vowed not to let her become another Zhen Zhen.
"I... I'm not ready yet. We just met! Don't say such things."
"Alright then, I won't like you for now. Let's go find the resources first."
"The tribal chief will punish me."
"I will kill the tribal chief."
"You... you're a bad person."
"I'm not a bad person, the tribal chief is. He knows I'm not the Holy Emperor, but he doesn't want to lose face in front of Yan Xing, so he incited the battle between me and the Holy Emperor, trying to kill me with a borrowed knife. No matter who loses, he will be the ultimate winner."
"Oh? So you really are an imposter!" Sun Qian said with a hint of disappointment.
"Then will you report me?"
"No."
"See, you've already sided with me, subtly. You've chosen to stand with me."
"You're trapping me again."
"Now I've thought of a way. You go back alone, and then you tell the tribal chief that I'm an imposter. You found out about this situation and chased after me, and I fled into that resource repository. This way, you can be exempted from punishment."
"In that case, I won't be able to like you anymore."
"...That's still possible."
"Then I'll go back." Sun Qian stood up and slowly walked back the way she came.
Mo Qi felt a bit dejected and couldn't help but sigh.
Everyone's nature is to seek advantages and avoid harm; he couldn't blame her.
Mo Qi walked somewhat forlornly behind the large trees. He looked closely and saw a cliff behind them, shrouded in mist and swirling clouds, like the rapids of a great river turning a corner and spinning rapidly.
Could it be that he had to jump from here?
Mo Qi felt a sense of unease.