Spicy fish head, boiled fish, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, braised fish, fragrant fish, plus a bowl of tofu and fish ball soup, and a large bowl of fragrant rice—when these dishes were served, apart from Xiu Qiyu who remained calm, Hua Rong and Qing Zhiyi's eyes widened in astonishment. Both of them came from privileged backgrounds and had grown up in luxury; they had never seen such simple, home-style dishes before.

Ye Xiruo's cooking skills came from her grandmother in the countryside, so they were naturally quite good. The dishes on the table were delicious and appealing, and everyone pitched in.

"So spicy, so refreshing!" Hua Rong stared at the spicy boiled fish slices, her mouth burning red from the spiciness, but her chopsticks kept going. Xiu Qiyu, on the other hand, had a particular fondness for the sweet and sour squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, and the icy expression on her face seemed to melt a little. Qing Zhiyi liked every dish, but after taking one bite of the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, she dared not take another bite; her senior brother's eyes were threatening to kill her.

Ye Xiruo ate a large bowl of rice with pickled fish, then served herself a bowl of tofu and fish ball soup to aid digestion.

These three people in front of me are truly as beautiful as a painting, a feast for the eyes.

Xiu Qiyu's unparalleled beauty, even with his icy expression, was captivating. Qing Zhiyi, in a magnificent cyan robe, was like a hidden gem in the mountains; her brows, her elegance, and her alluring peach blossom eyes were unforgettable. Hua Rong, dressed in plain, unrecognizable clothing, perfectly accentuated his tall and straight figure. Though his face still held some youthful innocence, his handsome features and indescribable charisma were striking.

These three outstanding men, with their vastly different personalities and appearances, are now dining together, their every move exuding elegance and attracting attention. This is true nobility! Compared to that scumbag Feng Yi, he's nothing but a nouveau riche.

Ye Xiruo took a bite of the fish ball; it was fresh, chewy, and delicious. She didn't know what kind of fish it was, but the flesh was incredibly fresh. Whether steamed, fried, or made into fish balls, it was always delicious, with absolutely no fishy taste. After eating it, she felt a faint surge of internal energy within her—a truly wonderful sensation.

The problem is that the amount of true qi is too small. Otherwise, if one could improve their strength simply by eating, why would they need to work so hard to cultivate?

After finishing the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, Xiu Qiyu leaned back in his chair, just like Ye Xiruo, and looked at the starry sky with a solemn expression.

The two were still engrossed in eating.

"Be careful." Xiu Qiyu's voice had barely left his mouth when a violent explosion rang out.

Hua Rong, Qing Zhiyi, and Ye Xiruo were thrown into the air by the intense energy. Ye Xiruo felt as if her internal organs were about to shift, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood, fainting while still in mid-air.

Although Hua Rong and Qing Zhiyi were in a very sorry state, it was clear that their protective magic items were very powerful, and they only suffered minor injuries.

Ye Yexi's once cozy little courtyard has now been replaced by a large pit.

Xiu Qiyu held Ye Xiruo, who had already fainted and was seriously injured. His murderous aura seemed to materialize, and his ice sword pierced through the chest of the black-clad man closest to him in an instant.

"Attack!" Hua Rong shouted, taking the lead. A silver spear instantly appeared in his hand. He twirled the spear in several beautiful arcs, and the dragon on the spear seemed to come alive. In an instant, he killed three men in black.

Qing Zhiyi was enveloped entirely in cyan wind blades. The wind was omnipresent, and the raging wind could transform into the most terrifying weapon in the world. Wherever the wind blades passed, only a pile of disgusting minced flesh remained.

Sword flashes, wind blades, and spear blossoms exploded continuously in the courtyard. Blood splattered everywhere, and in no time, more than a dozen corpses lay on the ground in the courtyard, and more than a dozen more lay in the large crater.

Xiu Qiyu, Qing Zhiyi, and Hua Rong had icy expressions and solemn demeanor. Their robes and faces were splattered with blood, but this did not diminish their unparalleled beauty; rather, it added to their charm. Xiu Qiyu had already taken out healing pills and fed them to Ye Xiruo, but Ye Xiruo still did not wake up.

"Come out, I know you want to kill me." Hua Rong wiped the blood from her face, her eyes shining brightly like stars.

"My dear brother, how could I bear to kill you? How could I possibly bear to kill you?" A cold, venomous voice came from above.

The three of them looked up together and saw the huge eagle in the sky above the courtyard. Dozens of people were standing on the eagle. The leader was a twenty-four or twenty-five-year-old man whose face was somewhat similar to Hua Rong's, but whose face was pale, lips were pale, and eyes were cold. He was waving a black jade fan in his hand.

The voice they just heard was clearly his; his gaze was as if he were looking at a dead man. Simultaneously, a name flashed through the minds of Xiu Qiyu and Qing Zhiyi: "Hua Mu," the third master of the Hua family. His birth mother was a top courtesan in a brothel, but after her death, he entered the Hua family. His almost monstrous talent for business caught the eye of the current head of the Hua family, allowing him to quickly establish himself. He then rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming the most likely candidate to become the next head of the Hua family.

What makes Hua Mu most feared is not his skill or intelligence, but his ruthlessness. He is ruthless to his own people, ruthless to others, and even more ruthless to himself. Now he has set his sights on Hua Rong, the most favored grandson of the Hua family patriarch and the most likely candidate to become the next head of the family.

Xiu Qiyu, Qing Zhiyi, and Ye Xiruo all suffered undeserved misfortune tonight.

"There are a few small fry left, but their fighting strength is not bad. Do you want to join me?"

Xiu Qiyu and Qing Zhiyi fell silent at the same time, and Hua Rong's face was also very ugly, which was a blatant slap in the face.

"You're targeting me; what does it matter if innocent people get hurt?"

"You know I'm an extremely cautious person. To avoid unnecessary trouble, I like to eliminate all accidents, such as these extra people at the scene."

How many times has this happened? Hua Rong looked pained. He had watched helplessly as his friend was killed by this demon, falling before him with his eyes wide open in death.

Whether it was Ye Xiruo's infectious smile or Xiu Qiyu's overwhelming murderous aura, he temporarily forgot about the existence of Hua Mu, this perverted, murderous maniac.

Do you think I'm still the same person you used to be, completely at your mercy?

"I'm watching. I'm watching how you protect them." Hua Mu's sinister smile widened, and his pale fingers flicked lightly. The dozen or so people standing behind him leaped down like large black birds, quickly surrounding the people in the courtyard.

Xiu Qiyu remained silent until Hua Mu appeared. He then began to communicate telepathically with Hua Rong, and the two quickly devised a plan: even if they couldn't kill Hua Mu today, they would at least give him a severe beating. Hua Rong wanted to vent her anger, while Xiu Qiyu wanted to avenge Ye Xiruo.