Having started teaching Xiao Ling on the arts of fighting, the group set out of the forest, hoping to avoid any accidental reunions with both allies and enemies alike...
They arrived at a rural village, far from Qilin city, this village was very close to the bordering vassal state, Divine Cloud Kingdom.
A nation that was ravaged by the Celestial Empire, of which the expedition was led by his own father...
"It is very beautiful..." Akagi spoke, staring at the village, it wasn't grand by any means. However, the simplicity of the buildings, together with a fine union of its natural vegetation, gave a very picturesque image to this little village.
As they came out of nowhere, several villagers were spooked and slowly hid inside their houses, and ten guards came out, holding their swords and staring them cautiously...
"Who are you?!" A guard demanded, his hand trembling at the sight of the two mysterious beings.
"Please, put down your weapons, we mean no harm!" Xieren spoke, hoping to convince the guards to let go of their weaponry.
"Who are you, I asked a question!" The same man spoke, his voice taking a much more softer tone, he tried reading their cultivation but could not even get a glimpse of their realms...
"My name is Qiu Xieren and this is my wife and disciple" Xieren sighed, perhaps something had happened in the village for such a reaction.
"Where are you from?" He was questioned again.
"From the Capital" Xieren answered, 'No need to mess with people that haven't done anything wrong...' He told himself.
"Ah?! You are from the capital?" The soldiers gasped, staring at them in awe and shock.
Who wouldn't? Nobody from the capital ever travels to this part of the empire willingly...
"Apologies, Sir Qiu, Madam and miss!" The man cupped his hands together, bowing at the travellers.
"No no, it's fine!"
"But if you will, please do give us your name and also, why the sudden increase in guards?" Xieren asked them curiously, hoping to get some information, before they decide to spend a while in the village.
"Haha, this one is Lang Su!" The guard smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head shyly, he had made a fool of himself infront of three travellers from the Capital.
"Lang Su, my other question" Xieren forced himself not to chuckle at the man, who suddenly took a serious demeanor.
"Sir Qiu, The noble governing this land is dead... a bandit group ravaged the house and is acting as him, because of this we need to be vigilant all the time..." Lang Su spoke tiredly, his eyes turning red at the mere thought of the incident...
Xieren then took on a frightened expression, turning to his wife who raised an eyebrow at her husband's strange reaction.
"My dear wife, let us leave immediately, this place is too dangerous!" He turned to her, winking, Akagi sighed and nodded.
"Ah?! Master why are we leaving? We just arrived!" Xiao Ling pouted, glaring at Xieren in the process.
"Brother Lang, you see, we are not cultivators... this place is too dangerous and there are bandits too! Good luck, we will inform the capital of the incident that happened here!" Xieren smiled wryly and turned around to walk away.
Just as he turned around, he felt a hand on his shoulder...
"Brother Lang, what is the meaning of this?" Xieren's eyes showed anger as he turned his head to see Lang Su with a malicious grin.
"Who said you can leave?" He asked, taking his sword, stabbing Xieren on the side, making the man gasp in pain...
"MILORD!"
"Milord? Humph! what a worthless lord!" Several guards laughed.
"If you want to leave, you need to give us something... like that hot piece of ass, that is your wife!" Lang Su gulped as Akagi's eyes turned cold.
"To think you were a bandit too..." Xieren sighed, taking out the sword that was forced into his body, his wound healing immediately as he did so, leaving only a patch of blood that he frowned at.
"W-What is this sorcery?!" Lang Su shouted, fear evident in his voice.
"It isn't sorcery... This happens when you are in a specific realm!" Xieren summoned a knife, a very ordinary knife.
"You don't deserve a weapon to be killed by... so a kitchen knife would do" He lunged at Lang Su who was too shocked to register what had happened and within seconds, he felt very light...
'Why am I looking at the sky?' Those were his last thoughts, Lang Su's head fell to the ground, immediately as it did, all the guards fell on the dirt floor, dead.
"That takes care of them..." Xieren crossed his arms, Akagi who was close to tears pinched him violently, going as far as to enhancing it with Qi.
"Milord..." She sobbed, Xieren sensed a great amount of distress from her and gently embraced her as she sniffled violently.
"Master..." Xiao Ling's eyes dulled, she had never been in such a gruesome situation, limbs and heads lay scattered under her as she turned to her master, whom she had thought was killed...
"YOU IDIOT!" She screamed, hitting his head multiple times.
"Look, I get that you are angry at me but I told you I'm very strong beforehand didn't I?" Xieren retorted, Akagi elbowed him violently as he fell on his knees.
"Guh... Akagi, why?" Xieren asked, turning his head towards the village...
"Sir Qiu!" A girl jumped, Akagi immediately narrowed her eyes at her, this girl's looks rivalled her own, only that Akagi's body was much more bountiful...
"You have... cat ears..." Akagi gasped, unconsciously moving her hand towards them, but Xieren beat her.
"I missed you Shen Zhi!" Xieren complained, feeling the softness and moaning in bliss.
Shen Zhi blushed, then glanced at Akagi triumphantly, rubbing her face on his chest.
'This bitch...' Akagi's face darkened as she stomped her foot, a few centimetres away from her husband's crotch.
Xieren gulped, letting go of the Beast girl and proceeding to apologise to his wife that looked away...
"Shen Zhi, why didn't you help the people of the village?" Xieren asked the cat girl, demanding an answer.
"I did! I threatened them to not touch anyone here... but they found a loophole and attacked travellers!" She answered, looking proud of her work...
'I forgot she is a bit clumsy...' Xieren face palmed, turning to the bodies and waved his hand as they disappeared.
"Milord, I thought the beast people are extinct" Akagi spoke, she glared at the cat girl feeling threatened by her presence.
"No! We are not extinct! Our people just went into isolation, they were done with human politics" Shen Zhi explained, speaking about the historic events that took place...
"And what is your relationship with my husband?" Akagi demanded, Xieren, Xiao Ling and the villagers all kept quiet.
"He's my elder brother..." Shen Zhi grinned, laughing at Akagi's reaction...
"To think I fell for such a simple trick..." Akagi looked ashamed, turning to Xieren with an apologetic smile.
"But he is like a husband to Fox clan Matriarch..." She informed, then covered her mouth immediately as she said so.
"How long?" Akagi pouted, Xieren shook his head.
"...Since I was eighteen" He replied.
"I helped her become the leader of her clan and things started from there I guess" Xieren then shrugged.
"But I'm still your wife right?" She narrowed her eyes.
"I promised you Akagi" He smiled lovingly at her as she looked down.
"Then... Tonight" She blushed, Xieren giggled.
"Okay!" He said, walking over to his disciple, holding another scroll he had taken from his ring...