Upon hearing this voice, Li Hengsheng turned his head and a hint of joy appeared on his face: “Junior Sister Lu.”

Is there anything more delightful than meeting your favorite girl after coming out of seclusion?

Li Hengsheng looked at Lu Qiaoqiao’s face, which was slightly tired despite its delicate features.

“Junior Sister, have you not been sleeping well these days? You look a bit tired,” Li Hengsheng asked curiously.

“It’s nothing, Senior Brother. You don’t have to worry. Maybe I’ve been busy these days. I just need a good sleep when I get back,” Lu Qiaoqiao replied with a smile.

Li Hengsheng didn’t doubt her words. He suddenly noticed that Lu Qiaoqiao was also carrying a basket on her back and asked curiously, “Junior Sister, are you going down the mountain with that basket? I remember that you weren’t among the disciples going out for purchases this time.”

“Yes, I’m going down the mountain this time. I exchanged with someone else,” Lu Qiaoqiao smiled and said, “I’ve been feeling a bit bored on the mountain recently, so I want to go out and relax.”

“Well, it’s good to relax,” Li Hengsheng nodded.

“Then, Senior Brother, I’ll go to the mountain gate to gather first. You should come quickly after getting your things,” Lu Qiaoqiao said and left with the basket on her back.

Li Hengsheng felt that something was off about Lu Qiaoqiao, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He turned and went to the warehouse to get his own basket.

After receiving it, he went to the mountain gate to gather. They would be led by an elder from the Peak of Ten Thousand Slaughters to go down the mountain and purchase supplies.

However, as soon as Li Hengsheng walked out with his things, he saw a figure standing there, looking at him.

“Junior Sister Xu?” Li Hengsheng couldn’t help but ask, “Are you here to get a basket too? I remember that you didn’t need to go down the mountain today.”

“You really are clueless,” Xu Yueyue said impatiently, “Can’t you see that Junior Sister Lu is not in a good mood?”

“I can tell, but she didn’t want to talk about it, so I didn’t ask,” Li Hengsheng shook his head.

“That’s why I couldn’t stand it anymore,” Xu Yueyue said with her hands on her hips, “Li Hengsheng, do you know that a few days ago, someone from Lu Junior Sister’s family came and they want her to leave Dao Mountain Ancient Land at the end of the month and marry the second young master of the Hai family in Yifeng City.”

Upon hearing this, Li Hengsheng’s eyes widened!

Marriage?

Li Hengsheng’s heart started pounding. Was Lu Qiaoqiao going back for a marriage alliance?

“I can tell that Lu Junior Sister really likes you. She doesn’t want to go back, but she has to obey the family’s orders,” Xu Yueyue said, biting her lip, “Li Hengsheng, if you’re a man, you should confess your feelings to Lu Junior Sister and take her away from Minghong Prefecture!”

“If you speak up, Lu Junior Sister will definitely be willing to go with you,” Xu Yueyue hurriedly added.

“I…” Li Hengsheng’s words got stuck in his throat.

Didn’t he also like Lu Qiaoqiao?

But what qualifications did he have to like her?

In terms of family background, he had nothing, only a mediocre painter as a father.

In terms of cultivation talent, his talent was very average. It was likely that he would reach his limit in cultivation after reaching the peak of the acquired realm.

The Prenatal Realm was just a luxury.

If he really took Lu Qiaoqiao away, what could he give her?

A life of hardship?

“What are you thinking?” Xu Yueyue said impatiently.

“How do you know that Lu Junior Sister won’t be happy marrying the second young master of the Hai family?” Li Hengsheng muttered, not daring to look at Xu Yueyue, “The alliance between the Lu and Hai families will only make them stronger. Lu Junior Sister will have better resources. What’s wrong with that?”

“You… you blockhead!” Xu Yueyue scolded in frustration.

But Li Hengsheng lowered his head, carried his basket, and walked towards the mountain gate, ignoring Xu Yueyue’s continued scolding.

When he arrived at the mountain gate, there were already more than twenty disciples waiting.

The elder at the front glanced at Li Hengsheng, who came last, but didn’t say anything. He just turned around and said, “Alright, let’s go down the mountain!”

The disciples followed the elder.

Li Hengsheng walked beside Lu Qiaoqiao, but for a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

Lu Qiaoqiao glanced at Li Hengsheng and seemed to understand something.

“Did that little girl Xu Yueyue say something to you?” Lu Qiaoqiao calmly asked.

Li Hengsheng just nodded.

“That girl…” Lu Qiaoqiao smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in her smile.

“Are you really going back for the marriage alliance?” Li Hengsheng pondered for a moment and asked with his head lowered.

“Yes, if I don’t go back, what can I do?” Lu Qiaoqiao said calmly, “The family that raised and supported me is my only choice. I have to obey the family’s orders. This is the fate of aristocratic children. If I could enter the inner sect, maybe I could refuse this marriage, but it’s unlikely now.”

“Okay,” Li Hengsheng didn’t know what else to say for a moment, so he just responded with a sound.

He remembered what Xu Yueyue had said earlier. Should he elope with Lu Qiaoqiao?

Run away?

“How about Senior Brother eloping with me?” Lu Qiaoqiao suddenly whispered mischievously in Li Hengsheng’s ear.

Li Hengsheng’s eyes widened as he looked at Lu Qiaoqiao’s smiling face so close to him. For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond.

“Hehe, I’m just joking with you, seeing how scared you are,” Lu Qiaoqiao giggled and said.

Li Hengsheng lowered his head and forced a dry laugh to cover up his inner embarrassment.

After leaving Dao Mountain Ancient Land, they would have to go to the nearest city, Bu Huo City, which would take about two hours.On their journey, both Li Hengsheng and Lu Qiaoqiao were deep in thought, with Li Hengsheng’s mind in particular turmoil, unsure of what he was contemplating.

As the group was passing the earthen bridge, a sudden surge of murderous intent emerged!

“Danger!” The leading elder, Lin Feng, suddenly changed his expression!

However, the next moment, a shower of flowers flew from the front, densely packed with hidden weapons!

Elder Lin Feng shook his robe on the spot, and his inner strength swept out, directly shaking down the large number of hidden weapons. However, two of the hidden weapons were still missed, and two disciples from the Peak of Ten Thousand Slaughters were pierced through their bodies by the hidden weapons on the spot!

The two immediately fell down.

Everyone was taken aback, wondering what had happened.

Both Li Hengsheng and Lu Qiaoqiao’s faces changed drastically.

Daring to ambush the disciples of Dao Mountain Ancient Land in Minghong Prefecture, this was truly the first time they had seen such a thing.

“Who’s there!”

Elder Lin Feng shouted angrily, his voice resounding, and the anger contained within it spread out.

As soon as his words fell, more than a dozen figures jumped out of the water under the earthen bridge. Their bodies were filled with a sinister aura, and each of them had entered the Postnatal Realm.

“Ghost Cultivation!”

Seeing the newcomers, Elder Lin Feng’s expression also changed. He didn’t expect to encounter so many Ghost Cultivators here.

“Kill everyone except that girl,” the leading Ghost Cultivator pointed at Lu Qiaoqiao in the crowd and said.

Even Lu Qiaoqiao herself was stunned.

Why her?

More than a dozen Ghost Cultivators leaped up. With their Postnatal Realm, the disciples of the Peak of Ten Thousand Slaughters were like lambs to be slaughtered in front of them, with no way to resist.

“Run!” Seeing so many people coming up, Elder Lin Feng’s first reaction was to leave quickly. He was not afraid of these Ghost Cultivators, but he definitely couldn’t take care of these disciples while fighting so many people.

Moreover, Elder Lin Feng always had a vague feeling that there was an even more terrifying figure hidden in the dark!

There might be a master of the Innate Realm!

“Divine Step!” With a light shout, Elder Lin Feng interlaced his hands to form a pattern, and a force enveloped him and the many disciples. The next moment, everyone felt as if their bodies were lighter.

Their movements seemed to be a hundred times more agile!

Without hesitation, everyone turned and ran.

“The ‘Five Absolute Seals’ of Dao Mountain Ancient Land? This is my first time seeing it.” Seeing everyone trying to run, a calm voice came.

The voice seemed to wander in all directions, making it impossible to detect its source.

But before everyone could run a hundred meters, an object flew from the sky above. It was a scroll!