The bluestone-inlaid streets gleamed slightly in the sunlight.
In front of a simple shop, four pairs of eyes met, and a heavy atmosphere permeated the four of them.
Xia Qi stood not far away, looking at Qin Luo's slender hand on his arm, his expression cold and his eyes sharp.
Seeing Xia Zihan and Qin Luo's intimate behavior, a surge of anger welled up inside him. He couldn't understand how his beloved sister, whom he had always cherished, could become so close to a strange man in such a short time.
It's like when you're not paying attention and your own cabbage gets eaten by a pig in the blink of an eye.
You see, after being sent away from the palace by his father, the person he was most worried about was his youngest sister. So as soon as he received the alchemy book sent by Xia Zihan, he rushed over without stopping, worried that she was too naive to be deceived and taken advantage of.
Recalling that night in the capital, he was driven to the brink of despair by those sect rebels. In the chaos, it was Empress Mu, Xia Zihan's mother, who risked her life to protect him, allowing him to escape.
The horrific scene remains vivid in my mind. Empress Mu was covered in blood, yet her eyes were filled with both resolve and tenderness. She held his hand tightly, and with her last strength, she pulled him away from danger.
"Xiao Qi, you must live on. Take good care of Zi Han for me. She's too naive and doesn't know the dangers of this world. She's my biggest worry..."
Recalling the past and seeing Xia Zihan and Qin Luo's intimate behavior only intensified his worries.
When his senses were directed at Qin Luo, they all vanished without a trace. There are only two possibilities: either Qin Luo's cultivation level is higher than his own, or he is an ordinary person or is hiding his cultivation level in a special way.
Concern can cloud judgment. Xia Qi looked at Qin Luo, took a small step forward, and exuded a powerful aura.
When Qin Luo felt this pressure, he felt quite helpless. He hadn't even started to speak, so why did Xia Zihan's fourth brother have such a bad impression of him and use pressure right away?
Just as he was about to use his spiritual energy to resist the oppressive force, a fragrant breeze drifted past him, and Xia Zihan instantly stood in front of him. Then, an extremely ethereal phoenix cry emanated from her, dispelling all the oppressive force.
"Fourth Brother, what are you doing?"
Xia Zihan looked at Xia Qi with displeasure, not understanding why he would make things difficult for Qin Luo so soon after they met.
Xia Qi looked at his younger sister who was protecting Qin Luo, feeling both angry and heartbroken.
"Xiao Jiu, do you know what you're doing? I'm doing this for your own good."
Xia Zihan pursed her lips tightly and said:
"Fourth Brother, are you doing this for my own good? Qin Luo saved my life, is this how you treat my benefactor?"
Xia Qi frowned.
"He saved your life? You're so naive, how do you know he didn't have ulterior motives? Xiao Jiu, you can't judge a person by appearances. What can you possibly discern in less than two months?"
Xia Zihan took a deep breath:
"Fourth Brother, I have my own judgment. If you want to make a move against Qin Luo, you'll have to get past me first."
After she finished speaking, wisps of purple spiritual energy surged from Xia Zihan's body, and a blurry phantom of a celestial phoenix appeared faintly above her.
Xia Qi was extremely frustrated by what he saw. He never expected that Xiao Jiu would choose to attack him for a man she had only known for a short time. This made him both angry and heartbroken.
His mother died in childbirth when he was born, and it was Empress Mu who raised him. Therefore, he has always felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Empress Mu. As Empress Mu's youngest child, Xia Zihan has been taken care of by him since she was a child.
He had been by Xia Zihan's side since she was learning to speak. When she started to walk, he would carefully protect her, afraid that she would fall and get hurt.
As Xia Zihan grew up, he cared for her like a brother and a father, sheltering her from the wind and rain, helping her read and write, playing with her, standing up for her when she was wronged, and taking the blame for her when she made mistakes...
But now she's at odds with herself over an outsider.
"Xiao Jiu, what kind of bewitching potion did this man give you that made you so reckless?"
Upon hearing his question, Xia Zihan firmly replied:
"Fourth Brother, Qin Luo is not a bad person. He has his own principles and sense of responsibility. He is also sincere towards me. I trust my judgment because my heart will not deceive me!"
Xia Qi sighed helplessly upon hearing her answer. He knew that once his sister made a decision, it was difficult to change her mind.
Since that's the case, let's address the root of the problem!
He looked at Qin Luo behind Xia Zihan and suddenly said:
"I want to see what's so special about you that makes Xiao Jiu so enamored with you?"
"If you're a man, don't hide behind a woman. Stand up and let me see what you're capable of."
Qin Luo, who was standing behind Xia Zihan, twitched his lips when he heard this. "Big brother, didn't you see the dense purple spiritual energy that your sister has set up around me?"
But he only complained to himself, after all, he didn't want to appear timid in front of Xia Zihan's fourth brother.
Qin Luo took a deep breath and said softly:
"Zihan, let me do it."
Xia Zihan looked at Qin Luo with concern. From the oppressive aura just now, she knew that her fourth brother had already stepped into the Soul Contract Realm, and she was afraid that Qin Luo would be injured in this confrontation.
"Qin Luo, no, Fourth Brother..."
Before Xia Zihan could finish speaking, Qin Luo's gentle gaze suddenly turned cold.
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