Nalan Qing

The Serpent Venerable sneered, "You're just a Fighter, kid. Can your Dou Qi nourishment even match one percent of this consumption? Fortunately, I don't rely solely on your Dou Qi for recovery. Otherwise, it'd take forever!" Li Yi frowned, asking, "So, Old Coot, what's the deal with you always needing my Dou Qi nourishment?" The Serpent Venerable explained indifferently, "Your Dou Qi nourishment primarily helps to activate my body's vitality, preventing me from getting too damaged due to being in a soul state for too long. Additionally, I need soul power to harness Dou Qi... and I can't replenish that myself, so naturally, I rely on you for nourishment." Li Yi frowned, "Does that mean I'm on my own for the matters in Yunshui City?" "Pretty much," the Serpent Venerable replied vaguely. "But you shouldn't be afraid of just a King level fighter..." As his voice faded, the Serpent Venerable's figure flashed and then slowly retracted into the Storage Ring. Li Yi smirked and shook his head, quickly forming seals with his hands and entering a state of cultivation. The Yuanqi of the heavens and earth trembled slightly around him, then flowed into his body like water. His figure vibrated slightly, and a purple Dou Qi gown slowly materialized on him, the room flickering with electric light, as if the environment had completely changed... A night passed quickly in cultivation. The next day, as Li Yi slowly opened his eyes, the purple Dou Qi gown retracted. A night's cultivation had nearly restored all the fatigue accumulated over the days. Slipping into a black robe, his aura now seemed remarkably imposing. He leapt to the ground, loosened his slightly stiff body due to cultivation, and then walked out the door, only to see a pretty maid already waiting outside. Accustomed to roughing it these past days, this was somewhat odd for Li Yi. After hesitating for a moment, he gestured for the maid to leave. After getting ready, he glanced towards Gong Wushuang's room. Gong Wushuang, already standing at her door with a smile, greeted him, "You seem in good spirits today!" Li Yi nodded casually, "It's a fine day, perfect for settling scores... Today, let's give the Nalan family a little surprise." Gong Wushuang smiled helplessly and donned a black robe, following Li Yi downstairs. The inn's lobby was sparsely populated this early in the morning. However, the middle-aged man they met yesterday was waiting by the staircase. Approaching them with a smile, he said, "My apologies for my daughter's behavior yesterday. I've informed the head of the house about your visit today. Despite being busy with the ancestor's birthday preparations, the Nalan family welcomes you at any time." "Do you wish to visit now, or..." Noticing the man's overly eager demeanor, Li Yi and Gong Wushuang exchanged a look, sensing something odd. Given Li Yi's display of strength as merely a Warrior level fighter, it was unusual for the Nalans to show such keen hospitality. Nonetheless, planning to visit the Nalan family anyway, they saw this as an opportunity to avoid hassle. After a moment's thought, Li Yi said, "Then, please lead the way." The man promptly gestured respectfully and escorted them to a luxurious carriage bearing the Nalan family crest parked outside. Guards near the carriage appeared vigilant but smiled upon seeing the middle-aged man. Wondering what the Nalans were plotting with such grandeur, Li Yi boarded the carriage with Gong Wushuang, and they set off down the street. The middle-aged man did not join them but rode alongside, chuckling upon catching Li Yi's curious glance, "After you checked in, we investigated your backgrounds, tracing you to the Han merchant group... Hehe..." At this, Li Yi and Gong Wushuang understood the implications. During their time with the Han merchant group, Gong Wushuang had inadvertently used a technique only a King level or higher fighter could execute, revealing their formidable status to the merchants.

Not to mention others, even if there's just a King level fighter, it's understandable for the Nalan family to be so respectful. After all, the Nalan family's ancestor is just a King level fighter, and having one on our side seems to grant us a status equal to the Nalan family... At least, that's how it appears on the surface... Realizing this, Li Yi felt even less inclined to engage in conversation, merely snorting impatiently. The middle-aged man, being astute, quickly caught on to Li Yi's demeanor and discreetly withdrew.

Inside the carriage, the two observed Yunshui City's splendid scenery through the window curtains. After a while, Li Yi sighed, "I do hope the Nalan family is wise enough to agree to my demands. It would be a pity to destroy such a beautiful city."

Gong Wushuang chuckled intriguingly but remained silent, her gaze also turned towards the window. The journey continued in silence. The carriage took a long route around Yunshui City, finally entering a broad street and stopping in front of a majestic estate. At the grand entrance stood two massive stone beast sculptures, with vigilant guards lining both sides of the road. However, Li Yi could tell at a glance that these guards were just for show; the real experts were likely hidden in the shadows, silently protecting the Nalan family. Faintly, several obscure presences probed their way, but Gong Wushuang just hummed softly, effortlessly blocking those probes, likely leaving the intruders at a disadvantage.

After this brief test, the Nalan family seemed to have confirmed the distinguished identity of their visitors. As the carriage arrived at the entrance, the grand gates opened, and a man in his late twenties emerged. Clad in a white robe and exuding an aura of strength, his ordinary face bore a slight smile, his hands proudly clasped behind his back. However, upon seeing Li Yi and Gong Wushuang alight from the carriage, he quickly approached, bowing slightly, "Esteemed guests, my apologies for not greeting you from afar. I've neglected my duties. I am Nalan Qing from the Nalan family."

"Nalan Qing?" Hearing the name, Li Yi and Gong Wushuang exchanged a glance, initially mistaking him for the renowned Nalan He. It turned out to be Nalan Qing, the less remarkable young master of the family. Li Yi squinted, probing briefly, surprised that he couldn't discern Nalan Qing's strength.

"Old Coot! Can you determine his strength?" Li Yi inquired internally.

"Uh... can't tell..." The Serpent Venerable's voice floated back.

"What!? Is he an Emperor level fighter, capable of concealing his aura?" Li Yi questioned internally, his grip tightening. If the Nalan family had such an Emperor level fighter, their objectives might not be so easily achieved today.

After a moment, the Serpent Venerable responded, "Nonsense! Do you think Emperor level fighters are as common as potatoes? Just popping up out of nowhere? This kid is at most a Fighter, maybe a Warrior! But he might be practicing a dark attribute technique, making his aura so elusive. Unless he acts himself, it's unlikely anyone could see through his real strength."

Dark attribute... Li Yi's heart skipped. Dark attribute Dou Qi, known for its unpredictability and rarity among the nine attributes of Dou Qi, is exceedingly rare, as is finding a cultivation method for it. Stumbling upon such a 'panda' in the Dou Qi world was indeed lucky.

Realizing this, Li Yi chuckled, "So, you're the esteemed young master Nalan Qing. We're honored that someone of your stature has come to greet us personally, truly humbling..."

Nalan Qing smiled lightly, "Not at all. I received news that two remarkable individuals had arrived in Yunshui City, with one being a King level fighter. I've been looking forward to meeting you... Besides, given your statuses, it would be disrespectful not to personally greet you. Please, this way," he gestured, subtly stepping back.

Li Yi's eyes brightened at Nalan Qing's half-step retreat. This gesture, coming from a young master of the Nalan family, was significant. It implied that he treated them as distinguished guests rather than equals. Considering the arrogance typical of such scions, even the mild-mannered wouldn't make such a move, acknowledging a lower status with that small step. Despite their strength warranting the Nalan family's attention, such an occurrence at their first meeting was unexpected. This situation, and Nalan Qing himself, appeared to be quite intriguing.