Qin Qing sneered inwardly.
"Expect me to come and apologize?"
He questioned himself, never having done anything wrong, and even if an apology was in order, it was Mu Yunlan who owed him one.
However, even if Mu Yunlan did apologize, Qin Qing would never accept it!
How could the debt of a stolen soul, the humiliation, be resolved by a mere apology?
"Little Qing!"
"Third brother!"
At this moment, Qin Tong, Qin Yue, and several others also approached.
"Little Qing, don't worry. Uncle Seven will always stand by your side!" Qin Tong patted Qin Qing's shoulder and whispered.
"Me too, Third Brother." Qin Yue grinned, showing off two shiny tiger teeth. "Third Brother, you will always be that remarkable person in my eyes!"
"Thank you all. Uncle Seven, Little Yue..." Qin Qing nodded with a smile.
"Alright!" Qin Wujian coldly glanced at these people, "Let's set off now, to the Mu Residence!"
...
The Mu Residence.
Located in the northern part of Tianjue City.
Though Tianjue City is not the Luochuan Imperial City,
it is definitely considered a wealthy and large city in the northern region of the Great Qian Dynasty.
Moreover, the level of martial cultivation in this city ranks among the top in the various county cities of the Great Qian Empire.
Similarly, the scale of construction for Tianjue City is quite magnificent.
While it's not the northernmost border fortress, it belongs to the second buffer zone.
Therefore, Tianjue City boasts towering city walls reaching a hundred meters high.
Above this city hover formation arrays meticulously set up by master formation specialists, forming the City Protecting Great Formation.
As for the interior of the city, high-rise buildings stand tall, layer upon layer, majestic and awe-inspiring like mountain islands.
At this moment, the thick morning fog had not yet dispersed, with high towers and pavilions nestled within the rolling clouds, resembling immortal buildings floating in a heavenly sea, giving the entire Tianjue City the aura of a celestial metropolis.
After a while, the morning sun rose.
A gentle breeze swept through, and the surging clouds suddenly seemed to transform into soft threads of silk, dissipating with the wind.
Tianjue City lost a touch of its mystique but gained a sense of profound historic weight.
Between the magnificent buildings, on the broad streets paved with cobblestones, there were crowds of people walking to and fro.
Most of them were heading straight for the Mu Residence.
Outside the Mu Residence, there was a constant stream of visitors coming and going.
"Lord of Tianjue City, Shangguan Hai, has arrived!"
A loud announcement made all the guests attending the event at the Mu Residence stiffen and turn their gaze towards the entrance.
The Lord of Tianjue City, Shangguan Hai!
A distinguished individual from the Luochuan Institution, a member of the Shangguan Clan Family, with an illustrious identity from the Great Qian Martial Institute.
In Tianjue City, he seldom made appearances.
Yet, he had come to attend Mu Hongtu's birthday feast today...
Following that—
"Elders Zhong and Ning from Chiyang Academy have arrived!"
"Elder Fu from the Luochuan Institution has arrived!"
"Head of Tianwei Escort Agency, Zhang, has arrived!"
"Manager Zhong from Baodan Pharmacy has arrived!"
Each loud announcement signified the arrival of a force to be reckoned with or a distinguished individual of high status.
Mu Hongtu and Mu Yunlan were standing at the entrance of the residence, welcoming the arrival of each guest.
"Tianjue City, the Qin Residence has arrived!"
Suddenly, this loud shout attracted the eyeballs of many more people.
After all, within Tianjue City, the Qin Residence and the Mu Residence originally had a master-servant relationship.
Especially, Qin Qing, the useless Young Master of the Qin Residence, was even married to today's heavenly favored daughter, Mu Yunlan.
The people of the Qin Residence stepped into the Mu Residence.
Qin Wujian walked at the very front, followed closely by Qin Zhen, Qin Lie, and others, whereas Qin Qing, holding little Shuang, and with Qin Tong, Qin Yue, and several others, was at the very back.
As soon as Qin Qing appeared, a host of either mocking or pitying gazes immediately fell upon him.
In the eyes of the Tianjue City denizens today, Qin Qing was nothing but a pitiful creature, particularly under the brilliant radiance of Mu Yunlan, he seemed like an unavoidably ridiculed clown.
However, for Qin Qing, such a notion simply did not exist.
He indifferently walked into the Mu Residence, casting a nonchalant glance over Mu Hongtu, landing on Mu Yunlan.
No one knew what kind of surging undercurrents were hidden beneath the indifference this young man exhibited at this moment.
Three years of forbearance, coupled with the betrayal of a loved one, had made the young man's temperament lose much of its youthful arrogance, gaining more patience instead, and as for the unchanged fervor of youth, it was even more hidden beneath the surface.
Qin Wujian approached with a smile, and said to Mu Hongtu, "Elder Mu, congratulations, congratulations, I wish you longevity equal to the heavens. The Qin Residence has prepared a modest gift, and we hope you will accept it!"
"Haha, it turns out to be the esteemed ancestor of the Qin Residence paying a visit; you are too kind!" Mu Hongtu laughed, not even glancing at the gift box proffered by Qin Wujian as he let a servant take it away.
Mu Hongtu now truly carried a bit of the air of a petty man in power.
He remembered how he was once a servant in the Qin Residence, always less than others, humble and lowly, and how individuals like the old ancestor of the Qin Residence, were akin to celestial beings.
Now, even this patriarch of the Qin Residence had to be so deferential upon seeing him.
Mu Hongtu found it difficult to contain his sense of triumph in his heart.
However, Mu Hongtu also knew that all of today's glory and pride were owing to his daughter by his side.
When his gaze fell upon Qin Qing at the rear of the Qin Residence entourage, a feeling of disgust spontaneously arose.
He seemed to have forgotten that he once regarded Qin Qing as an excellent son-in-law suited to ride dragons, and that it was thanks to Qin Qing's pleading with Qin Yi that he had been emancipated from servitude.
"Qin Qing."
Mu Yunlan had also walked up to Qin Qing and said in a low voice, "I did not expect you to have the courage to come here."
"Oh? Why should I not have the courage?" Qin Qing asked with a slight raise of his eyebrows.
"I think you will understand very soon!" Mu Yunlan retorted sarcastically.
"That's right!" Qin Wujian spoke again: "Not long ago, Qin Lie of my Qin Residence also awakened his Sixth Rank Martial Soul, and we hope that Miss Mu could offer him guidance in the future."
Upon hearing this, Qin Lie hurriedly stepped forward, paying his respects to Mu Hongtu and Mu Yunlan.
Mu Yunlan's beautiful eyes swept over Qin Lie, filling him with sudden joy.
Although he did not dare to hope that Mu Yunlan would take a fancy to him, leaving a good impression in her eyes was already something worthwhile.
Mu Hongtu nodded and said, "Oh? A Sixth Rank Martial Soul, that's not bad at all! Please take your seats."
This was not mere politeness from Mu Hongtu; a Sixth Rank Martial Soul was indeed very rare.
In Tianjue City, it might take many years before a Sixth Rank Martial Soul appeared.
The people from the Qin Residence were about to take their seats in a fine position at the guiding gesture of Mu Hongtu.
But at that moment, Qin Lie suddenly pointed at Qin Qing and rebuked, "Qin Qing, is this the place where you sit? Are you worthy?"
Qin Qing was shocked, and Qin Tong, Qin Yue, little Shuang, and the others were also stunned.
"Qin Qing, you are vile in nature, having several times offended Miss Mu and remaining unrepentant, completely devoid of an apology. Do you also deem yourself fit to be a guest of honor in the Mu Residence?" Qin Lie sneered, pointing to a spot at the far edge and said, "Someone like you is only suitable for sitting at the outskirts, so you do not disgrace our Qin Residence here!"
"Hahaha, well said!" No sooner had Qin Lie's words fallen than a flamboyantly dressed woman emerged, saying coldly to Qin Qing: "Qin Qing, a person should be aware of their own worth. My daughter, Mu Yunlan, what is her status now? And you still cling to hope? Do you know who this gentleman here is?"
Qin Qing frowned. This middle-aged woman was none other than Mu Yunlan's mother, Pei Yuye, who once was merely an underling cleaning the stables in the Qin Residence.
However, Qin Qing simply did not bother himself with this Pei Yuye. His gaze fell on the young man Pei Yuye was pointing to.
This young man was Shangguan Xuan, the very person who had joined hands with Mu Yunlan with the intent to bring about his death!
Instantly, a cold murderous intent rose from the depths of Qin Qing's heart.