Liu Yin and Xiao Hechuan did not stay in this small town for long; Tao He's words were still somewhat appealing.

Xiao Hechuan, at least, was very interested.

He originally went there because of the rumors about Jingzhou, and now that he and Liuyin have made it happen, he is even more looking forward to it.

The two did not move fast; they usually rode the same horse together, walking slowly along the roadside.

With enough food and water in their rings, they didn't have to worry about other trivial matters.

Along the way, Xiao Hechuan took Liuyin to see many scenic spots, but in fact, most of them were places he himself had never seen before.

Before the age of twenty, his life consisted only of cultivation; becoming the strongest member of the Xiao family was his sole goal.

But after turning twenty, it was as if everything in the past had vanished into nothingness. Xiao Hechuan felt lost for a moment because he didn't know where to go from here.

The appearance of Liuyin was his lifeline.

Living with her outside wouldn't be bad either. After we go to Jingzhou, they can find a place to stay.

It would be fine if it was just the two of them. If they got tired, he would take Liuyin to see other places.

With these expectations in his heart, the man's gaze towards Liuyin became even more tender.

Noticing the intense gaze directed at her, Liuyin leaned back. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Xiao Hechuan's lips curled slightly as he said softly, "It just suddenly occurred to me that the timing of meeting you was perfect."

The man turned his head to kiss Liuyin's cheek, his gaze moving down to the red marks on her neck, a smile on his face.

If he were still that favored son of heaven, perhaps due to family pressure, he wouldn't have left the Xiao family so easily.

But he's not like that anymore, and those things in the future are no longer his concern.

——

Xiao Yuncheng was actually somewhat inclined to give up on Xiao An, but he was still somewhat unwilling to accept it, so he ordered people to treat him with the best medicine.

These medicines were indeed very effective; in just two or three days, Xiao An's complexion improved somewhat.

Xiao Yuncheng breathed a sigh of relief and casually asked, "How is Xiao An's companion beast?"

"Still not eating or drinking?"

Judging from the lion's size, it should get hungry quickly, and Xiao Yuncheng didn't believe it could last that long.

Furthermore, we can't let it go hungry; what if it runs out and eats people?

He actually had some suspicions; the lion's level was probably higher than he thought, and his white crane was actually trembling near the courtyard.

The white crane is already at the peak of level seven. If it is properly nurtured with spiritual energy, it can reach level eight.

Yet, there was a sense of fear near that lion, which must have been at least level eight.

Xiao Yuncheng's heart was suddenly filled with complicated emotions, like calm water in a lake that had suddenly been boiled over.

The servant's companion beast was actually of a higher level than his. Xiao An was talented, but this talent was giving him a huge headache.

If he could form a contract with his companion beast, the Xiao family would be guaranteed to win the competition among the major families.

But if that's the case, his strength will determine that the position of Xiao family head will belong to Xiao An.

But Xiao An was clearly just a lowly servant.

Xiao Yuncheng suddenly felt somewhat fortunate that the lion himself looked down on Xiao An.

His question went unanswered, causing Xiao Yuncheng to frown slightly. "Why aren't you replying?"

"Master, the lion has escaped," the servant replied in a low voice, taking a few steps back.

"They ran away?" Xiao Yuncheng asked incredulously. "When did they leave?"

"I don't know, we just threw the food in, and nobody dared to go in and look."

The lion had beaten Xiao An so badly that almost no one dared to approach it.

It was only today, when a stench emanated from the courtyard, that someone dared to stand on high ground and take a distant look.

They only became suspicious after the food they had previously sent in had already rotted and smelled bad.

Once inside, they discovered that there was no trace of the lions.

Upon learning that Xu Shuo had already fled, Xiao Yuncheng suddenly didn't know what to say.

The weight on his heart finally lifted; a servant was never worthy of sitting in the position of the head of the household.

But the upcoming competitions will give him another headache.