Inside the Great Xia Dragon Guard encampment.

For the past two days, Chu Qingyun had either remained in his room or gone to the captains’ training grounds to adapt to controlling his Half-step Martial Spirit Level power.

He used his purer Primordial Power to temper the meridians of his body and his Qi Sea.

After fully adapting to his Half-Step Martial Spirit strength, Chu Qingyun sent a message to the Ye Family, asking Ye Qi to come out and accompany him to the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower to find Qin Ya.

Although he knew it would be difficult, he had to try and see if he could persuade the Qin Family’s Alchemist to refine a One Yang Pill for them.

After completing that special mission, Chu Qingyun’s Devouring Martial Soul had already stored three Tier Two Martial Souls with fire attributes. He had even prepared enough Martial Soul Power to raise a Tier Two Martial Soul all the way to Tier Four!

To this end, he hadn’t upgraded any of his other Martial Souls besides the Ten-Star Vine Martial Soul.

However, because none of the three were pure Fire Martial Souls, Chu Qingyun was still hesitant.

Unless it was the last resort, he didn’t want to settle and waste his precious Martial Soul Power on a suboptimal Martial Soul.

As the largest merchant association in Lianshan County, the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower had its own branches in every city under its jurisdiction.

In the County City itself, there was one in each of the four major districts—north, south, east, and west—and the main headquarters was located in the Dongcheng District.

Chu Qingyun and Ye Qi went to that very headquarters of the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

But when they arrived and asked around, they learned that Qin Ya was not there, but at the Qin Mansion.

Fortunately, the Qin Mansion was also in the Dongcheng District and not too far away. They arrived quickly, even on foot.

"Halt. What is your business?"

When the two of them reached the entrance of the Qin Mansion, they were stopped by the guards at the gate.

"My name is Chu Qingyun. I’m a friend of your Miss Qin Ya, and I have some business with her. Would you two please announce me?" Chu Qingyun said with a smile.

On this trip, they were here to ask for a favor, so naturally, they had to follow the other party’s rules for everything.

"Miss Ya’s friend?" one of the guards sneered, looking Chu Qingyun up and down. "Miss Ya has a shabby-looking friend like you?"

A flash of anger flickered in Chu Qingyun’s eyes when he heard this.

He had always focused the vast majority of his energy on cultivation and paid little attention to trivial matters like food and clothing. Thus, he always dressed casually, still maintaining the style he had back in Qingshan City.

He never expected to be mocked for it today by a mere Fifth-level Martial Artist.

Just then, however, Ye Qi tugged on his sleeve, her beautiful eyes giving him a pleading look.

With Ye Qingfeng’s life on the line, she was naturally very nervous and didn’t want any unexpected trouble or conflict.

Chu Qingyun sighed helplessly, cupped his fist, and said, "Whether or not I’m Miss Qin Ya’s friend is something you’ll know as soon as you go and ask. However, if you delay my business, that’s a consequence you can’t afford."

"Hmph, what important business could you possibly have... Fine, wait here. I’ll go ask for you."

One of them spoke in a lazy, flippant tone and turned to go inside.

Just then, however, a handsome young man dressed in brocade robes and adorned with a jade pendant walked straight into the Qin Mansion with wide strides, without so much as a greeting.

Upon seeing this man, the two guards at the gate immediately began bowing and scraping, looking like fawning servants who were just short of wagging their tails. "Young Master Qu, are you here to see Miss Ya? Please, come in..."

That Young Master Qu simply nodded, glanced at Chu Qingyun and Ye Qi from the corner of his eye, and walked inside.

"You two, he doesn’t seem to be a member of the Qin Family either, does he? Why could he go straight in while we have to wait out here?" Chu Qingyun asked, somewhat displeased.

The guard who remained behind looked even more disdainful. "You dare compare yourself to Young Master Qu? Young Master Qu is the biological nephew of our Ten Thousand Treasures Tower’s Fourth Elder. Who the hell do you think you are?"

At that moment, Young Master Qu seemed to have noticed the commotion at the gate. He pulled aside the guard who was about to go in and announce them, and the two began whispering to each other.

Soon, the guard who was supposed to announce them returned and said to Chu Qingyun, "Miss Ya is busy right now. She says you should wait for a while."

’Busy? Wait for a while?’

Chu Qingyun frowned, feeling that something was not right.

However, since they were here to ask for a favor, they could only endure it. If they had to wait, then they would wait.

Who would have thought that their wait would last the entire morning.

They waited until noon, but no one ever came from Qin Ya to summon them. All morning long, people coming and going from the Qin Mansion stared at the two of them nonstop, making them feel extremely uncomfortable.

"It’s been quite a while, and Miss Qin Ya still hasn’t sent for us. Could she have forgotten? Would you two mind announcing us again?"

Chu Qingyun said politely, suppressing his anger.

Unexpectedly, the two guards’ expressions changed instantly. "Announce you? Announce my ass! No one was sent to get you. Don’t you get what that means? It means she can’t be bothered with you! Now scram! Get lost! Why don’t you take a piss and look at your own reflection? You think someone like you can see Miss Ya?"

Hearing this, Chu Qingyun abruptly lifted his head.

He took a sudden step forward and asked in a cold voice, "You two never went to announce me at all, did you?"

Overwhelmed by Chu Qingyun’s aura, both guards felt their breath catch in their throats and stumbled backward.

Soon enough, however, they regained their courage.

This was the Qin Mansion! Even disciples from the Four Great Clans of Lianshan County City wouldn’t dare cause trouble here!

"Brat, you’re courting death! You dare cause trouble without looking at where you are?! Die!"

One of the guards roared and threw a punch at Chu Qingyun.

As the gate guards of the Qin Mansion, they were used to looking down on people and had always judged others by their clothes and appearance. Now, lashing out in anger, they didn’t even bother to check their opponent’s strength.

"Hmph, a Fifth-level Martial Artist. Scram!"

Chu Qingyun barked coldly, his leg flashing out like lightning. He kicked the man viciously in the chest, sending him spinning through the air and flying backward into the mansion.

"You, what are you doing...?"

Seeing his companion sent flying with a single kick, the remaining guard was so frightened his legs trembled as he continuously backed away.

SLAP!

Chu Qingyun strode forward and slapped him, shattering half the teeth in his mouth. He then grabbed him by the collar. "Tell me, did you actually go announce me or not?"

Held in Chu Qingyun’s grasp, the man felt as if all the strength in his body had been sealed away, leaving him completely unable to struggle.

He shouted in terror, "Young Master Qu, Young Master Qu, save me! Come save me!"

At this moment, the young man in brocade robes and the jade pendant from before walked out from inside, a faint smile on his face.

He scrutinized Chu Qingyun from top to bottom, then shook his head, his expression filled with disdain. "So, you’re Chu Qingyun? Tsk, a complete country bumpkin who’s come to the city. How could Miss Ya possibly have taken a liking to someone like you..."