Chapter 455: Qiu Ruofang and a Young Man

Chapter 455: Qiu Ruofang and a Young Man

Sitting beside Qiu Ruofang, Su Chen continued to share his speculations.

"The second possibility, I believe, is that these Heavenly Demons have discovered something incredibly valuable. Perhaps something that can further enhance their power."

"And for this item, these Heavenly Demons are willing to take risks, even if the northern region of Jin Kingdom is less favorable to them. They would still dare to venture into it."

These two scenarios were, in Su Chen's current view, the most likely.

Qiu Ruofang nodded in agreement.

Qiu Ruofang had quite some experience in dealing with these monsters, but compared to Su Chen, she still had much to learn.

In the past, when dealing with monsters, most of them were bullies who preyed on the weak and feared the strong.

As long as they sensed the presence of a Transcendent Realm martial artist, the Heavenly Demons would usually avoid them.

Unless they felt overwhelmingly superior, they would never engage in a fight with a martial artist of similar strength.

"Su Chen, in your opinion, which reason is more likely?"

The last time in the wilderness, Qiu Ruofang had been severely injured.

At that time, Su Chen was not even at the Seventh Rank, but under his guidance, they managed to avoid the threat of the Heavenly Demon.

Su Chen's judgment in the wilderness had been incredibly precise, and he had complete control over the monster's movements.

Therefore, Qiu Ruofang trusted Su Chen's judgment.

"If I had to choose between these two possibilities, I'd say that there's something in the northern Jin Kingdom that the Heavenly Demons desperately desire.

That's why they're risking their lives to fight and grab."

Su Chen furrowed his brows and explained his speculation in detail.

"The intelligence of Heavenly Demons is no different from humans, and being clever is a good thing.

But the more intelligent they are, the less likely they are to be controlled by others and the harder it is to make them submit.

Even if they do submit, there's a high chance they'll pretend to obey while secretly defying orders, making it difficult for them to accomplish much.

Above the Heavenly Demons, there's the rumored Demon Emperor.

Submitting to the Demon Emperor doesn't seem strange or unusual.

But getting the Heavenly Demons to risk their lives to serve the Demon Emperor isn't that easy."

Hearing Su Chen's words, Qiu Ruofang nodded seriously in agreement.

Indeed, it made sense.

From small monsters to Heavenly Demons, from ignorance to enlightenment, these Heavenly Demons wouldn't easily give up what they had achieved. Only something that greatly benefits them could attract so many Heavenly Demons.

"So, to resolve the crisis in the north, we must find out what these Heavenly Demons are after.

If we can't resolve this, it won't be possible to eliminate them within a year or two, or even several years."

Qiu Ruofang spoke softly, agreeing with Su Chen's speculation.

After reaching the northern wilderness of Jin Kingdom, they could investigate in this direction and hopefully resolve these troubles once and for all.

Although it was just a speculation, Su Chen's guess aligned with many of the circumstances.

The monster infestation in the north had been going on for a year or two.

During this time, many powerful individuals in Jin Kingdom had taken action.

The Heavenly Demons had been slain several times.

Despite the heavy casualties and the unfavorable terrain, the Heavenly Demons continued to charge towards the north.

Unless there was something valuable in the north, the Heavenly Demons wouldn't be so relentless.

In the past, at the Mingying Battlefield, when the Heavenly Demons suffered slightly more losses, they became cautious and started to hide.

This northern crisis has been going on for almost two years.

With the departure set for ten days later, Qiu Ruofang needed to spend more time stabilizing her cultivation realm during these days.

Su Chen's previous guidance had provided Qiu Ruofang with an accurate path.

This kind of cultivation required a calm mind, and a single session usually lasted at least three days.

But on the last day of her meditation, Qiu Ruofang would exit seclusion once.

Qingyuan looked at her Frost Sister, unsure of what to say.

It was obvious that she couldn't maintain her seclusion because of Su Chen's presence.

Although she still believed that Su Chen was not worthy of Qiu Ruofang, seeing him produce the jade pill made Qingyuan feel that he had some abilities.

Nine days passed, and the two of them set off together, heading north.

Before leaving, Qingyuan's gaze lingered on Qiu Ruofang.

Qiu Ruofang seemed to understand her sister's resentment and comforted her for a while.

A smile reappeared on her face.

Su Chen and Qiu Ruofang set off together, seemingly in no rush. Qiu Ruofang even bought a horse-drawn carriage.

Without Qingyuan by her side, Qiu Ruofang initially felt more restrained than when they were in Tonglu City.

But after a while, they both relaxed and conversed more freely than before.

The horse trotted along the official road, while Su Chen and Qiu Ruofang talked more and more deeply.

"At your age, you've already reached the Fifth Rank Snow Intent Realm. Even among the younger generation of Zhu Ming Palace, that's quite an achievement, isn't it?"

"Some women used to look down on me and even despised me."

"Now, they're probably competing to get close to you."

Qiu Ruofang said this with a hint of laughter.

It seemed like she was just joking around.

But in reality, she kept glancing at Su Chen from the corner of her eye, trying to discern something from his expression.

"Is there anyone who wouldn't want to get close to me?" Su Chen waved his hand, responding rather nonchalantly.

However, Qiu Ruofang was clearly dissatisfied with this lighthearted answer.

"Really? Usually, the top young martial artists are quite popular among women."

"Plus, with your handsome appearance, wouldn't some women try to get close to you?" Qiu Ruofang added, following up on her previous statement.

As she spoke, Qiu Ruofang's face still carried a smile.

It seemed like she was just teasing and joking.

Upon hearing this, Su Chen hesitated for a moment, "I haven't gotten close to them."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Su Chen felt like he had said something wrong.

"So, there really are many women who want to get close to you?"

Qiu Ruofang's face still held a smile, but the nature of this smile seemed to have changed.

It was more like a forced smile.

In truth, there were indeed quite a few such women.

After arriving at Zhu Ming Palace, Su Chen had received many gestures of goodwill from the palace's women.

He didn't even need to display his talent or strength.

Just the attention from the higher-ups of Zhu Ming Palace was enough to make Su Chen highly sought after.

It was as obvious as the nose on one's face.

But when Qiu Ruofang heard this, she felt a bit uncomfortable.

"Among them, which woman is the most beautiful?" Qiu Ruofang asked, trying to control her emotions.

"None of them are beautiful. They're not the one in my heart," Su Chen replied, already starting to backtrack.

But these backtracking words might not be effective.

"Really? I think many of these women are charming and adorable, with a temperament like an orchid.

Even I feel like they possess heavenly beauty.

How can you not be attracted to them?"

In his words, Su Chen was subtly hinting at jealousy.

This reaction made Su Chen's heart feel a bit sweet.

After a moment, Su Chen turned his head towards Qiu Ruofang and answered seriously, "Perhaps it's because I've seen true heavenly beauty, so now, it's hard for me to pay attention to them."

Su Chen didn't explicitly state what he meant by 'true heavenly beauty'.

But Qiu Ruofang actually understood.

Between her eyebrows, the discomfort in her heart seemed to dissipate upon hearing the words 'true heavenly beauty'.

Seeing Qiu Ruofang's expression slightly improve, Su Chen didn't continue on this topic.

Instead, he brought up his previous encounter with Elder Wen Hua.

He asked Qiu Ruofang if the fortune-teller she had consulted was Elder Wen Hua.

"The fortune-telling Elder Wen Hua gave me is quite similar to what you mentioned before.

To be close to the woman who captivates your heart, there will be countless obstacles and innumerable dangers."

As Su Chen spoke, his entire demeanor was rather relaxed.

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But when Qiu Ruofang heard that Elder Wen Hua had said the same to Su Chen, her expression turned slightly serious.

"Did Elder Wen Hua really say this?"

"Fortune-telling words shouldn't be taken too seriously. Countless obstacles and innumerable dangers can't stop a determined person."

Su Chen's words sounded somewhat determined.

Yet, Qiu Ruofang still frowned slightly.

"Elder Wen Hua's fortune-telling often comes true.

If he predicts countless obstacles and innumerable dangers, it might be..."

Qiu Ruofang paid attention to Elder Wen Hua's fortune-telling.

The Qiu family had invited him for a reading, and most of it came true.

After a moment of hesitation, Qiu Ruofang shook her head, as if she had figured something out.

Her mood slightly improved.

"If it were just about me, I could make the decision myself.

No obstacles could stop me if I wanted to, Qiu Ruofang's heart was willing."

Qiu Ruofang's guess was that these obstacles were related to the difference in status and position between the two of them.

After all, Qiu Ruofang was the daughter of the Qiu family's leader and the second Third Rank martial artist in the Qiu family.

She was also the youngest Third Rank martial artist in the entire Jin Kingdom.

For such a talented junior, the Qiu family wouldn't allow anyone to casually associate with her.

Thinking of this, they both believed that the countless obstacles and innumerable dangers would stem from this.

Along the way, they felt that discussing this made them feel depressed, so they didn't mention it again.

The Jin Kingdom boasts an expansive territory, and traveling by carriage is a leisurely journey.

While it's a comfortable mode of transportation, the pace is indeed rather slow.

If Qiu Ruo Shuang were with Qing Yuan, she would surely be impatient with this sluggish pace.

Along the way, Su Chen sensed that Qiu Ruo Shuang's physical condition was still not at its best.

At the Third Rank Unity Realm, stability is crucial, and excessive use of martial force might lead to a realm regression.

Qiu Ruo Shuang didn't seem overly concerned about these issues.

"This trip is merely a demonstration of my current realm.

Once they see it, they'll be convinced."

Qiu Ruo Shuang explained softly to Su Chen.

She understood that Su Chen would worry, so she reassured him to avoid anxiety during the journey.

Whenever they encountered a city, the two would take a brief stopover.

Having set off slightly earlier, they had ample time.

Without Qing Yuan's presence, the two grew closer.

After twelve days of travel, Su Chen and Qiu Ruo Shuang reached Jiaxue City in the northern region of the Jin Kingdom.

Jiaxue City is one of the northernmost cities in the Jin Kingdom.

Beyond Jiaxue City lies the northern border of the Jin Kingdom, bordering an endless wilderness.

As Su Chen and Qiu Ruo Shuang walked through Jiaxue City, Qiu Ruo Shuang introduced the city's situation to Su Chen.

Despite being adjacent to the wilderness and located at the northern border, Jiaxue City is larger and more prosperous than many inland cities.

For instance, when Su Chen went to find Qiu Ruo Shuang, he went to Tonglu City.

This is because every year, numerous martial artists gather in Jiaxue City.

Transcendent Realm experts are countless, not to mention the lower-realm martial artists.

In the Jin Kingdom, it's common knowledge that martial artists possess the strongest purchasing power.

To make money, many will flock to them.

Even though Jiaxue City is near the wilderness and appears more dangerous, it doesn't deter those seeking profit.

The Jin Kingdom's court offers tax exemptions as an added benefit.

Naturally, Jiaxue City's trade and commerce far exceed those of ordinary cities.

Of course, Jiaxue City isn't the only border city in the Jin Kingdom.

With its vast territory, the Jin Kingdom has an extensive border.

Naturally, there are many cities established near the border.

Jiaxue City is located on the northwest side, close to the Mingying Battlefield, but there's still a considerable distance to cover.

The two took a brief stroll, had a meal, and then headed further north.

After a while, they needed to register their names at this checkpoint.

Then, after reporting and passing the inspection, they could continue northward.

The situation in the northern wilderness is becoming increasingly severe.

Martial law has been imposed, and all entering martial artists must obtain approval to enter.

Su Chen acknowledged the control measures.

To deal with monsters, one needs a well-organized plan, not a chaotic mob.

Not only will it fail to resolve the monster issue, but it will also easily cost lives.

Moreover, the northern region is plagued by numerous powerful monsters.

The two decided to wait here for the frontline officials to conduct the inspection.

This process might take a while.

After about four hours, the frontline finally received the news.

Qiu Ruo Shuang's arrival was expected, and naturally, no one would stop her.

However, the news that she was accompanied by a young man spread.

"Are you sure? Qiu Ruo Shuang is coming with a young man?"

Before anyone could ask this question, countless people had already done so.

At this moment, Wei Huifang from the Huayan Sect widened his eyes, disbelief evident in his voice as he questioned.

"Elder, the one registered at the checkpoint is from our Huayan Sect.

Even if he's lying, he wouldn't deceive our own people, would he?"

The messenger reporting the news was Wei Huifang's grandnephew.

Their relationship wasn't just that of fellow sect members, but also relatives.

Wei Huifang was inclined to believe his words.

However, the content of his message made it hard for Wei Huifang to accept as truth.

Wei Huifang hadn't interacted much with Qiu Ruo Shuang, but he had some understanding of her.

After all, she was too dazzling, and every faction would seek to know more about her.

Her lifestyle, personality, and more.

Many even tried to emulate her.

To see if by doing so, they could enhance their own martial talent.

Wei Huifang's Huayan Sect had a friendly relationship with Qiu Ruo Shuang's family.

Naturally, he had listened to Qiu Ruo Shuang's analysis many times.

Although he hadn't seen her often, he was familiar with Qiu Ruo Shuang's habits.

Despite Qiu Ruo Shuang's amiable demeanor and polite speech, she was, in fact, maintaining a facade of politeness to give others face.

In a very polite manner, she was turning down people from a thousand miles away.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end