"Are you planning to travel around the Northwest Continent?" Mang Tianchi looked at Lei Qi with some surprise.
"Yes. Elder Mang, please stay here and wait for me for a while," Lei Qi replied.
Mang Tianchi paused, then nodded and warned him: "Alright. But the mutated Black Demon Thunder in your body… I may not be able to fully suppress it. Don't act recklessly."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Lei Qi said.
Just as he was about to leave, Lei Qi looked at Su Qian: "When we came here before, I heard that Elder Su Qian had adopted a little girl, a magical beast transformed into human form?"
Su Qian nodded. "Yes. I encountered her deep in the mountains, but even now I still haven't figured out her true origin."
"Interesting. This time when I leave, let this little girl come with me," Lei Qi said.
"Lei Qi Young Master…" Su Qian hesitated, seemingly wanting to speak.
"Are you troubled, Elder Su Qian?" Lei Qi asked.
Su Qian quickly shook his head and explained: "Not troubled, just… this little girl is quite mischievous."
"That's fine. She's just a little girl; I can handle her," Lei Qi said with a smile.
Seeing Lei Qi take an interest in this 'little girl,' Mang Tianchi was curious—what kind of girl could make him personally request her to come along?
After Su Qian agreed, Lei Qi left.
He didn't stay in the inner courtyard but went straight to the outer courtyard. Lei Qi was curious about whether Gu Xun'er and her companions had arrived at Canaan Academy.
The arrangements for his visit to the outer courtyard had already been made by Su Qian. Upon arrival, they were received by Vice Principal Hu Qian.
From Hu Qian, Lei Qi learned that Gu Xun'er had indeed enrolled, and it had already been over a year.
This meant that Xiao Yan had probably already left the Xiao family in the Jia Ma Empire.
For Lei Qi, this was not good news. After all, he had a system, and if he couldn't intercept successfully, those beauties would be wasted.
So Lei Qi didn't linger. He left the outer courtyard and set off overnight toward the Jia Ma Empire.
---
On a remote mountain peak, by a cliff, a girl in a light cyan dress stood gracefully. A gentle breeze caressed her long, flowing hair, lifting it slightly, and the edges of her skirt fluttered, subtly revealing the curves of her perfect figure.
Her calm eyes stared eastward at the distant sky. Silent, she resembled a pure lotus, untouched by the world.
After a long silence, the girl spoke: "Come out."
Her ethereal, pleasant voice brought a strange cleansing feeling to the soul.
As her words fell, a green figure suddenly emerged from a large tree behind her, bowing respectfully on one knee: "Miss."
The girl slowly turned, revealing a delicate, jade-like profile, and looked at the figure: "What is it?"
"Miss, people from the Lei Clan appeared at Canaan Academy, but they've just left," the green figure reported.
A trace of confusion appeared on the girl's elegant face. "The Lei Clan? How could they come here?"
"I am unsure, but they have already left. Elder Mang Tianchi is still in the inner courtyard," the green figure continued.
"Where did they go?" Xun'er asked.
"Looking in that direction, it seems toward the Jia Ma Empire."
"The Jia Ma Empire?" Xun'er frowned. "Could it be that they're after the Xiao family too?"
The green figure shook its head. She couldn't know for sure. Previously, she had only sensed a powerful aura and came to investigate. But because of Mang Tianchi and the two powerful companions with Lei Qi, she did not dare to reveal herself.
Moreover, it was likely that Su Qian had informed them of her background; otherwise, she would not have had the chance to report back.
"Inform Elder Ling: if you encounter people from the Lei Clan, report to me immediately," Gu Xun'er instructed.
"Yes," the green figure replied.
Xun'er's brows furrowed slightly. She did not want Xiao Yan to be noticed, especially by members of these Dou Emperor families.
But even as a Dou Emperor's daughter, she could not fully control other families. After all, she was only Gu Yuan's daughter—not Gu Yuan himself. Even if it were Gu Yuan, how could he fully control other clans?
---
Half a month later:
"Young Master, we have reached the mountain range near the Jia Ma Empire," Yang Ji reported.
"Golden Eagle, are you familiar with this mountain range?" Lei Qi asked, looking at the golden eagle beneath him.
"Yes, Young Master. I am very familiar with this place. I spent several years here before," the golden eagle responded.
"And this nearby Qingshan Town, do you know it?" Lei Qi asked again.
"Yes," the golden eagle replied.
"Take us there."
"Yes, Young Master."
The golden eagle took off swiftly toward Qingshan Town.
Cao Ying looked at Lei Qi curiously: "Young Master, do you know this place?"
Lei Qi did not answer—he wasn't sure how to respond, so he ignored her.
As for Yang Ji and Zhang Yi, they were there to protect Lei Qi, so they naturally didn't speak. Their only task was ensuring his safety.
Cao Ying, seeing Lei Qi ignore her, leaned closer to him.
Seeing the restless little girl, Lei Qi could only sigh and said: "Have you heard of the Calamity Poison Body?"
Upon hearing this, Cao Ying didn't react much, but Yang Ji and Zhang Yi were both startled.
The Calamity Poison Body was an extremely terrifying constitution. Once it matured and erupted, it could poison all living beings for hundreds of miles, or even further. In the past, similar poisonings had occurred in the Central Continent, and even experts of the same rank could fall victim.
"I don't know," Cao Ying admitted. Although a genius, she couldn't know everything.
"I came here to find someone with the Calamity Poison Body. I intend to train them," Lei Qi explained.
Yang Ji and Zhang Yi were curious how Lei Qi knew about the Calamity Poison Body and why he traveled so far, but they wisely didn't ask further.
"You've never been here. How do you know all this?" Cao Ying asked.
"Slap!" Lei Qi gave her a playful smack on her already plump little rear: "Where do all these questions come from?"
╰()╯
Cao Ying had no choice but to keep quiet, though a slightly rebellious expression remained on her cute face.