People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 172, The ends of the earth are acceptable, but the corners of the sea are not (Bonus chapter late at night, please vote!)
"Miss Zi Nu, what are you doing?" Xu Qing asked.

"Why didn't you say you knew martial arts sooner? Do you know how dangerous that was just now?"

Zi Nu looked at Xu Qing, her purple eyes filled with coldness, but her tone was tense and uneasy.

Recalling the rain of arrows composed of dozens of feathered arrows just now, Zi Nu still felt a lingering fear. At that moment, she had even given up everything, hoping only to save Xu Qing.

But Xu Qing, that scoundrel, clearly possesses profound strength, yet he deliberately feigns weakness, leaving her terrified.

"I was trying to say something, but you just chased me away. The cold wind got into my mouth and I couldn't speak," Xu Qing muttered softly, trying to explain herself.

He swore he really didn't mean to show off later; he was genuinely choked by the cold wind.

Seeing Xu Qing's attempt to argue, Zi Nu's eyes turned cold. She released the Crimson Serpent Sword from her hand and directly grabbed Xu Qing's lower back.

"Hiss, it hurts."

Xu Qing cried out in pain, for this time Zi Nu hadn't held back and was really pinching him.

Before Xu Qing could beg for mercy, Zi Nu took the initiative to let go of him, hugged Xu Qing tightly with both hands, and buried her head in Xu Qing's arms.

Seeing Zi Nu's shoulders trembling slightly, Xu Qing realized that he had really frightened her just now. He knew that Zi Nu was not frightened by the scene, but was worried about breaking her promise to him.

Xu Qing's gaze gradually softened as he gently stroked Zi Nu's back.

"Do you know how scared I was just now? I was really scared," Zi Nu said in Xu Qing's arms.

She seemed indifferent to her promise to Xu Qing, but deep down she longed for it.

She also hoped that one day she could let go of everything she carried and leave Zilanxuan with Xu Qing, leave Xinzheng, and leave this vortex of power.

"I know, I know," Xu Qing comforted her softly.

After Zi Nu finished speaking, she placed her hands on Xu Qing's chest and looked up at him slightly.

Her alluring eyes were slightly red, her cheeks flushed with a drunken blush, and her beautiful eyes held a captivating affection.

Through the previous explanation, Xu Qing understood Zi Nu's feelings. She still cared about him and had a good impression of him. As for his feelings for Zi Nu, they were self-evident.

Looking at the shyly affectionate Zi Nu, Xu Qing's heart began to pound. As they listened to each other's heartbeats, an ambiguous atmosphere gradually rose between them.

Xu Qing lowered his head and began to eat Zi Nu's alluring cherry-like lips.

He must have the food he couldn't eat yesterday, not even Jesus could stop him.

The fortune teller said that his wishes would come true tonight.

Looking into Xu Qing's tender eyes, Zi Nu closed her beautiful eyes slightly, tilted her head back, and tiptoed slightly as she offered her warm, red lips. The tenderness and excitement she felt in that instant were something no one else could understand.

At that moment, she forgot her identity and the burdens she carried, wanting only to hold the person in front of her tightly and go towards the promised future together.

The bright moonlight cast long shadows of the two people, and the originally bleak cold wind seemed to become gentle.

After a long while, Xu Qing could clearly feel the purple maiden in his arms gradually losing her strength, and a few alluring moans escaped from her cherry-red lips.
The two loosened their grip slightly. Xu Qing held the soft, limp Zi Nu in his arms, a triumphant smile on his face.

Zi Nu leaned against Xu Qing's chest, breathing softly. Her slightly unfocused purple eyes lowered shyly after seeing the smile on Xu Qing's face.

"You got your way after all. Are you satisfied now?" Zi Nu said in a voice barely above a whisper.

After the initial ambiguity dissipated, Zi Nu gradually came to her senses. Although things had gone smoothly, she was still somewhat at a loss. Thinking about what she had just said and what Xu Qing had done, Zi Nu felt hot all over and weak all over. She nestled in Xu Qing's arms, too embarrassed to look up.

She and Xu Qing were now in a relationship, although they hadn't gone all the way, but that was only because the circumstances weren't right.

"Satisfied."

Xu Qing knew when to stop, even though he could say some sweet words and make the atmosphere more ambiguous.

But that would be more than just a matter of eating; it would involve considering the lower body.

If this were inside the Purple Orchid Pavilion, Xu Qing certainly wouldn't hesitate. But this is the wilderness, and the wilderness is littered with corpses; he has no interest in live-streaming from the graves.

What's that saying again? A person can be at the ends of the earth, or even at the ends of the sea, but cannot be alone at the ends of the sea.

Zi Nu looked at Xu Qing, a complex mix of emotions flashing through her mind. With reason regaining its hold, Zi Nu's thoughts were no longer driven by romantic feelings.

She immediately considered the difference in status between herself and Xu Qing, especially the discoloration of heaven and earth that Xu Qing had just displayed, which confirmed to her that Xu Qing was a member of the Heavenly Sect and that his status was definitely not low.

The "Colorless Heaven and Earth" technique is one of the highest martial arts techniques of the Taoist Heavenly Sect. Not to mention disciples, even elders may not be able to learn it.

However, Xu Qing never revealed his identity as a disciple of the Heavenly Sect. Zi Nu knew that this was Xu Qing's secret. Although she was curious, she chose to respect Xu Qing's decision.

After hesitating several times, Zi Nu simply smiled and said...

"Let's go, or you'll miss the Treasure Exchange Conference if we don't go to the Hidden Dragon Hall soon."

Xu Qing naturally noticed the complex emotions in Zi Nu's eyes and guessed what she really wanted to ask.

"Just now I used the Taoist Heavenly Sect's technique, 'The World Loses Color,' just as you thought, I am a disciple of the Taoist Heavenly Sect."

"However, I became a disciple of the Heavenly Sect later."

Xu Qing recounted how He Guanzi had taken him as a disciple. Because He Guanzi had given him instructions, he did not reveal He Guanzi's identity to Zi Nu, only saying that someone from the Daoist Tianzong sect had come to take him as a disciple.

Seeing Xu Qing take the initiative to confess, Zi Nu was somewhat surprised, but more than that, she was happy for Xu Qing's frankness.

This shows that she is very important to Xu Qing, which is why he told her such a secret.

"Aren't you afraid I'll tell others about this secret you're telling me?"

Zi Nu tilted her head to look at Xu Qing, her eyes seeming to hold even more affection.

"Oh dear, now that you say that, I'm a little scared. What should I do? You have to keep this a secret for me. What if someone reports me?" Xu Qing said jokingly.

"Naughty~"

Zi Nu playfully punched Xu Qing, then tilted her head and leaned into his arms.

At that moment, she felt as if something heavy had been added to her heart, but it made her feel comfortable and warm, like the first ray of sunshine after a cold winter.

Xu Qing held Zi Nu in his arms without saying anything more. The two embraced each other tenderly for a moment before leaving hand in hand.

With a whistle, the galloping horse returned, and Xu Qing, holding Zi Nu in his arms, rode towards the Qianlong Hall, preparing to participate in the Treasure Exchange Conference together.

As a partner of Qianlong Hall, it wouldn't be a problem for Xu Qing to be late or bring an extra person to the Yi Bao Conference. He could also take Zi Nu to tour Qianlong Hall's treasure vault and see if there was anything she liked.

(End of this chapter)