Xiao Qingruo wanted to see what Li Qing would do.
If Li Qing directly subdued Xue Yi, she could kill Xue Yi with an order and rest easy.
But with her here, even if Xue Yi acted abnormally, Li Qing wouldn't dare take action against him.
"...And then I met the young miss," Xue Yi hinted to Xiao Qingruo.
If she didn't speak up now, it would be "dead end"!
Li Qing and several guards noticed something was off with the two and pricked up their ears.
They didn't know the young miss was useless; they had immense respect for her!
Hearing this now, they all realized the two definitely didn't just casually "meet up." Otherwise, given the young miss's dislike of men, it was impossible for him to follow her.
There was a story here! This Xue Yi seemed to have climbed up the social ladder!
"Young Miss, this... Did Xue Yi offend you?" Li Qing asked cautiously.
Xiao Qingruo sighed inwardly.
Seeing the plan had failed, she had no choice but to continue cooperating with Xue Yi and said indifferently with her back to the guards, "He has not offended me. I had an accident while cultivating just now, and fortunately Xue Yi saved me. From now on, he will be my personal attendant and no longer take orders from you."
"I knew it!"
Hearing this, Li Qing and the others showed looks of surprise and gazed at Xue Yi with admiration and envy.
But they didn't dare object. The young miss had the power over life and death, her status second only to the manor lord and elders. If they dared say no before her, they might not see the sun tomorrow.
"Yes, Young Miss. I will go report to the commander. From now on, I won't arrange any more tasks for Xue Yi. He will only take orders from you!" Li Qing said respectfully.
Xue Yi was smug inside.
This Li Qing hadn't gone easy on him before, relying on the gap in their cultivation realms to look down on him and the other second-class guards every day, even making them treat him to meals when they went out.
Now he had made something of himself, riding on the young miss's coattails. As long as he held on tightly and didn't mess up, the next half of his life would be eating fragrant, spicy food!
Xiao Qingruo didn't speak.
Li Qing knew the young miss was always cold and didn't dare continue pestering her. He told his subordinates, "Let's go patrol somewhere else." And swiftly left.
After everyone was gone, Xue Yi's expression turned cold.
He walked up to Xiao Qingruo and spoke in a low voice behind her, "Why didn't you answer Li Qing's question right away just now?"
"I...was thinking of a reason."
Feeling him get closer, Xiao Qingruo couldn't help feeling nervous.
Slap!
In response, Xue Yi gave her a resounding slap right on her bottom!
"You!" Xiao Qingruo's eyes widened.
This dog actually dared touch her!
"You know very well what you were thinking. Don't play tricks next time. I'm very petty and impatient. If you dare trick me or harm me, I'll definitely make the first move, even at the cost of my life, to take you down with me." Xue Yi said coldly.
"Oh right, I need to give you another punishment mechanism."
Xue Yi added.
"What punishment?" Xiao Qingruo had a bad feeling.
Xue Yi said, "Next time you play these petty mind games again, after getting out of danger, I'll punish you without mercy. I'll let it slide since we're outside today, but if it's indoors, hehe... Can your little bottom withstand a few Primordial Qi Realm cultivator's slaps without clothes to cover you?"
"You!"
Xiao Qingruo was furious.
This dog was going too far, bullying and humiliating her like this. He wasn't treating her like the young miss at all!
Although she...was useless, she couldn't be so casually bullied!
It was too hateful. She would definitely get revenge in the future!
"I won't do it again, never again." She quickly said.
In her heart, however, she secretly swore: "Surname Xue, just you wait! When I've accumulated enough merit points and exchanged them for the Emperor's Quenching Elixir to become a truly peerless expert, I will kill you with my own hands!"
...
Leaving the back garden, there were more people up ahead.
Xiao Qingruo's pale complexion drew the attention of many.
But she was the prestigious young miss with an aura about her. Other than Xue Yi who had unintentionally uncovered her secret and dared look at her, the other servants didn't even glance at her, let alone ask why she was injured.
The manor where Xiao Qingruo lived wasn't far ahead.
Just as they were about to return, several people walked over from the front.
The leader was a girl in training clothes, followed by a boy and two maids.
"Second young miss, Xu Lingzhi."
Xue Yi instantly recognized her identity.
This Xu Lingzhi was the second young miss of Holy Might Manor, the biological daughter of the current manor lord, Xu Conglong.
Xiao Qingruo had no blood relation to the manor lord. She was from a collateral line but her talent was so outstanding that she far surpassed many peers of the same generation. Thus, the manor lord and the elders of the clan had cultivated her as the successor.
Holy Might Manor was a martial sect manor. Strength spoke.
Although Xu Lingzhi also diligently cultivated and was the manor lord's beloved daughter, her talent was only middling-high at best, far inferior to the prodigy Xiao Qingruo. Now both 17, Xu Lingzhi only had strength at the peak of the Primordial Qi Realm.
Stronger than peers but completely incomparable to Xiao Qingruo.
As for the boy behind Xu Lingzhi, Xue Yi didn't recognize him but felt his aura wasn't strong.
"Sis, what's the matter? You look so pale."
Seeing Xiao Qingruo, Xu Lingzhi immediately asked, seeming concerned but actually gloating.
Clearly she was very dissatisfied that Xiao Qingruo had taken away her status as "eldest young miss."
Xiao Qingruo indifferently replied, "It's none of your concern."
Xu Lingzhi smiled and said, "How can it not concern me? I'm caring about you as a sister. My good big sis, since you married into the main manor from a collateral line and came under my father's tutelage, we're practically blood sisters. Seeing you injured, I'm very upset. Does big sis need me to check your injury and prescribe some spiritual medicine?"
As she spoke, she walked over, wanting to check Xiao Qingruo's injury.
Xiao Qingruo didn't move, slightly furrowing her brows.
Buzz~
A burst of cold air emanated from her, accompanied by tiny bolts of lightning dancing around her body.
The aura of a Long Life Realm expert instantly appeared, forcing Xu Lingzhi to retreat.
"So powerful!"
Everyone had the same thought this moment.
Including Xue Yi!
Xiao Qingruo's current coldness and power even made Xue Yi doubt whether she really was a Long Life Realm expert, just joking around with him earlier.
This was the illusion Xiao Qingruo had created!
He was secretly shocked: "What exactly is this girl's 'system'? It's too realistic. Unless you make a move, there's no flaw at all!"
Xu Lingzhi stopped, seeing Xiao Qingruo seemed angry and didn't dare get closer.
Xue Yi understood it was time for him to step in.
He stepped forward, standing between Xiao Qingruo and Xu Lingzhi, and said to Xu Lingzhi, "Second young miss, I understand your concern on the young miss's behalf. But we have medicine ourselves, no need to trouble you."
As a personal attendant, he had to maintain the young miss's image. He couldn't make her personally handle everything. When it was time to be a lackey, he had to act like one.
Once Xiao Qingruo's status was stable, he as her personal attendant could live securely and enjoy superior treatment.
This was also for his own sake.
Xue Yi had just stepped forward when the boy behind Xu Lingzhi also strode forward, standing before Xue Yi.
"Who do you think you are! How dare you speak to my sister like that!" the boy reprimanded.
At the same time, he emitted the aura of a Primordial Qi Realm third-layer cultivator.
Xue Yi knew the other party's realm was below his own and calmly said, "I'm Xue Yi, the young miss's personal attendant. And who are you, with poor skills but a big attitude?"
"Attendant? Hmph, so you're just a dog. I thought you were someone impressive. Listen up, I'm Fang Jie, the manor lord's nephew! Second young miss is my cousin. In this manor, you have to call me master!" the boy arrogantly stated.
"Oh? How bold!"
Xue Yi's expression turned cold as his gaze focused. He suddenly struck out!