"Floating guests, a special group existing in the Middle Ancient Realm. The so-called floating guests refer to rootless drifters without families, having no settled residence, forming alliances based on interests, and living by taking on various tasks. Floating guests have no family names, only titles. These people, although lacking familial backgrounds, are extremely ruthless due to their long-term lives living on the edge..."

At the corner of the courtyard wall with the plaque of the Floating Guest Clan, a scrawny old man squatted on the steps, speaking spiritedly and spitting while addressing a group of children.

The children around him were entranced, either by his words or the handful of candies in his hand, listening attentively and occasionally exclaiming, ’Wow! Wow!’

Mu Qingge paused to listen for a moment, then looked up at the open gates of the busy Floating Guest Clan, and stepped inside.

At this time, a voice came to her ears, the voice of the scrawny old man, "This Floating Guest Clan is the place where floating guests select tasks. Also, it’s a place for people to post tasks. As long as you can afford the price, no matter what kind of business it is, there will be floating guests taking it on..."

When Mu Qingge entered through the gates of the Floating Guest Clan, the old man’s voice already blurred and eventually faded away.

She stood in the forecourt, observing the people coming and going with great interest.

The people here seemed more rugged than those outside. This ruggedness referred not to appearance, but to their aura. Almost everyone carried a faint scent of blood.

Almost all were men here, rarely were there any women, let alone women of unparalleled beauty.

Xie Ya’s appearance immediately drew the attention of the floating guests. Their eyes, laden with aggressiveness, swept over Xie Ya and Mu Qingge, yet they did not take any drastic actions.

These floating guests, who had lived on the blade’s edge for many years, understood the times and knew how to read the situation better.

Mu Qingge and Xie Ya, dressed in extraordinary attire, boldly walked into the Floating Guest Clan; these were not individuals to provoke lightly. Perhaps, they were heirs of some family.

Not getting into conflicts with families was a principle for floating guests!

Because in this world, it’s a world where families are supreme, and the power represented by a strong family is incredibly terrifying.

The presence of Mu Qingge and Xie Ya caused some commotion in the forecourt of the Floating Guest Clan.

Under the eyes of the floating guests, they walked further inside.

Gradually, Mu Qingge felt that this place had the nature of a post house. It wasn’t just receiving and posting tasks, but also providing lodging and other conditions for floating guests.

This place was like the home of the floating guests, no wonder it was called the Floating Guest Clan.

The first main hall was crowded with people.

Upon stepping over the threshold, Mu Qingge and Xie Ya were attracted by the signs hanging on the walls. These signs were made of special materials, allowing tasks to be added or erased on them.

Mu Qingge slowly browsed around, with no one paying her any heed. Actually, it was the same for everyone here. If you were a floating guest, after selecting the task you wanted, you’d just head to the side hall to find a dedicated person to handle the paperwork.

Publishing a task was even simpler; enter the second main hall, also find a dedicated person to publish the task, and pay a deposit.

There were no receptionists here.

[Recruit a floating guest team led by someone at the Gray Realm Second Layer, to escort medicinal materials to Baile City.]

[High reward for finding Seven-star Orchid Pearl Grass.]

[One hundred low-level spirit stones for the head of the flower thief Xiao Chunfeng.]

[Deliver intelligence to Golden Sea Prefecture...]

Various tasks unfolded in Mu Qingge’s eyes.

There were no taboos here.

Murder, revenge, conspiracies... all sorts of unspeakable things were declared outright. And floating guests seemed to have no distinction of good and evil, only choosing tasks they had confidence in, then earning commissions.

Mu Qingge stood for a while, watching as tasks were occasionally erased and then new ones were filled in.

Those that were erased must have been selected by someone.

"Little brother."

Suddenly, a friendly voice came from behind Mu Qingge.

Mu Qingge turned around and saw a middle-aged man, dressed in samurai attire, standing in front of her. On his back, he carried a Mystic Ruler Heavy Sword.

Seeing Mu Qingge turn sharply, the person’s smiling eyes suddenly turned into amazement.

For a moment, he couldn’t say a word.

Mu Qingge’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she asked, "Do you have business with me?"

"Uh!" The man awoke from his daze, his eyes sweeping over Mu Qingge and Xie Ya. Seeing their prominent appearances, a trace of disappointment arose in his eyes. Yet, he still smiled and said, "Oh, my name is Gan Xiong, and I am the leader of a Floating Guest Team. I saw you looking at tasks over here and thought that you might want to take on a task, so I came over to ask, wondering if you have joined a Floating Guest Team."

"Then why disappointed?" Mu Qingge asked playfully, keenly aware of Gan Xiong’s moment of disappointment.

"Uh..." Gan Xiong said awkwardly, "Seeing you in splendid attire, I guessed you might not be a Floating Guest. I was presumptuous." Saying this, he cupped his fists towards Mu Qingge.

His frankness unexpectedly made one have a good impression.

Mu Qingge was quite curious about the Floating Guest clan, and now someone came forward to solve her confusion, how could she let the opportunity slip away?

She smiled at Gan Xiong and said, "My name is Mu Qingge, and it’s my first time venturing outside from the family for training. Many things are ones I’ve only heard of, but never seen personally. I’m also quite half-baked about Floating Guests, I wonder if Brother Gan has time to enlighten me?"

Xie Ya stood quietly behind Mu Qingge and was naturally taken as Mu Qingge’s exclusive companion.

Many people around who heard their conversation ridiculed inwardly.

They mocked Mu Qingge truly as a rich young master, going on an adventure yet not forgetting to bring such a beautiful woman along.

Gan Xiong initially regretted his rash attempt at conversation, but seeing Mu Qingge not showing the usual arrogance of family scions, he smiled instead and said to her, "In that case, how about coming to my room, so we can chat slowly? Too many people here."

"Pardon my intrusion," Mu Qingge nodded. She brought Xie Ya along with Gan Xiong and left the place.

The accommodations provided by the Floating Guest clan for the floating guests are all at the back courtyard.

As Gan Xiong led them in, he began a simple introduction, "Living here doesn’t require money. Depending on the team’s level, the living conditions differ. If you’re a Heavenly Level Floating Guest Team, you can live in the courtyard over there." As he spoke, Gan Xiong raised his hand to point.

Mu Qingge followed his gesture and looked, and at the best location stood a locked residence. The courtyard wall distinctively different from other places seemingly highlighted its uniqueness.

"Floating guest teams are divided according to Heaven, Earth, Dark, and Yellow levels. Heavenly Level Floating Guest Teams are very rare; in the entire Middle Ancient Realm, probably less than three teams. They take on big tasks and have fixed employers, so they barely come to such small places, meaning the houses remain vacant most of the year. Still, even if they’re uninhabited, preparations are always made. After Heavenly comes Earth, then Dark Level, and finally Yellow Level." Gan Xiong said while gesturing backward towards himself, grinning, "I am part of a Yellow Level Floating Guest Team." His demeanor showed no hint of embarrassment, nor did he think Yellow Level was a disgrace.

"Below Yellow Level, there are no hierarchically equal Floating Guest Teams." As he spoke, Gan Xiong already brought the two to a simple and modest courtyard. Its size naturally couldn’t compare to the courtyard seen earlier from afar. "I live here, please come in."

Gan Xiong pushed open the half-closed door, and a faint musty smell drifted out.

Mu Qingge did not show any discomfort and followed Gan Xiong into the house.

The furnishings inside the house were very simple, and the appliances were a bit worn, having been used for an unknown period.

"Floating Guest Teams without any level can only stay in shared quarters. So, my place here is still relatively nice. However, you can choose not to stay within the Floating Guest clan, and if you have money, you can always stay at inns outside." Gan Xiong moved a stool, placed it in the sunlight, wiped it with a cloth, and invited Mu Qingge and Xie Ya to sit, then poured them tea before sitting down himself.

Xie Ya took the teacup, and the tea within should be described as tea scraps. Evidently, life for Gan Xiong as a Floating Guest wasn’t going too well, yet he seemed quite content. Since the moment they met, he’d not voiced a single complaint.

"Mr. Gan, where are your team members?" Xie Ya asked while holding the teacup.

Gan Xiong seemed somewhat surprised that Xie Ya would speak up first. In his view, this was a little against the norms of hierarchy, but seeing Mu Qingge not displeased, he answered, "They went out to have fun, probably won’t be back until late."

Mu Qingge placed the teacup on the table and asked, "Brother Gan, how many people are in your Floating Guest Team?"

Gan Xiong said, "I have few people, mostly fellow townsmen. Including me, just five of us. We mainly take on simple and easy tasks to earn a living. Even though our progress is slow, it’s stable and safe."

As Mu Qingge listened, she nodded, "Then how are these Floating Guest Teams formed? Are there any restrictions? How do they level up?"

Gan Xiong treated Mu Qingge’s question as curious and earnestly explained. "Forming a Floating Guest Team is simple, as long as there are three people, you can apply. Applying is easy too; just choose a name, then register within any Floating Guest clan, stating who is in charge, how many members there are, the highest cultivation level, and list five members’ cultivation levels and names. Of course, if there are only three people, then write all three’s information. About leveling up, non-ranked teams start without levels and must rely on doing tasks to accumulate experiential points to get rated."

"Experiential points?" Mu Qingge asked.

Gan Xiong nodded, "Actually, for each task, when you go to accept it, the person responsible for task handover will inform you of the level of the task and the experience points you can earn. Once completed, the experience points are naturally yours. From no level to Yellow Level, only 500 experience points are needed. From Yellow Level to Dark Level, 2,000 experience points are required. From Dark Level to Earth Level, 3,000 experience points, and for Earth Level to Heavenly Level, you need 10,000 experience points. Moreover, if the task is not completed or causes damage, some experience points will be deducted. To become a Heavenly Level Floating Guest Team, unless all the tasks you accept are highly dangerous and yield high points without fail."

Mu Qingge silently contemplated Gan Xiong’s words in her heart and found that the Floating Guest Team’s system was actually quite straightforward and ruthless. Simply put, it’s like those online games from her previous life, slaying monsters for points and then leveling up.

However, if the task fails or causes damage, points will be deducted. It sounds fair, but in reality, it’s somewhat of a trap.

This means that Floating Guest Teams are not allowed to make mistakes or even fail. Otherwise, the scores accumulated through hard work will be deducted, and there’s a risk of demotion, let alone leveling up.

However, she appreciated such competitive conditions!

Mu Qingge’s eyes flickered slightly as she asked, "Brother Gan just mentioned that tasks of different levels offer different experience points?"

Gan Xiong nodded repeatedly, "That’s right. Generally, ordinary tasks earn a few points each time, at most no more than ten. But Yellow Level tasks can offer between ten and fifty points. Dark Level tasks range from fifty to a hundred points. Earth Level tasks are higher, and Heavenly Level tasks are exceedingly high. However, despite the high points, few dare to take them."

"Do you need a corresponding level to take a task?" Mu Qingge asked.

This question made Gan Xiong shake his head with a wry smile. His smile contained a hint of wistfulness. "This is the cruel part of Floating Guest competition; even if you’re a newly registered Floating Guest Team, you can still take on Earth Level or even Heavenly Level tasks. No one will care about your life or death. They’ll only think you’re courting death."

Xie Ya listened intently. Gan Xiong’s words seemed to have opened a new world for her.

After listening, Mu Qingge nodded almost imperceptibly and agreed, "Yes, indeed. However, lacking self-assessment and rashly undertaking tasks that are impossible to complete is irresponsible to oneself and the team."

Gan Xiong looked at her in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected such words from someone from a noble family.

Gradually, the surprise in his eyes turned to appreciation. "That’s right! Therefore, as the leader of a Floating Guest Team, one must be responsible for their subordinates and not be rash or greedy."

"You’re right," Mu Qingge nodded.

After a while, Mu Qingge curiously asked, "Who governs the Floating Guest clan? And how is order maintained among the Floating Guests?"

This was a crucial question. Whichever force controls the Floating Guest clan essentially controls all the Floating Guests of the Middle Ancient Realm.

"I don’t know!" However, Gan Xiong gave Mu Qingge an unexpected answer by shaking his head.

"You don’t know?" Mu Qingge was taken aback.

Gan Xiong nodded and explained, "The Floating Guest clan has existed for a long time; no one knows who originally created it. It’s only known that the three current Heavenly Level Floating Guest Teams manage it together to maintain the clan’s order. However, management is all they do. Among Floating Guests, there is a rule that if you become a Heavenly Level Floating Guest Team, you gain the right to manage the clan. Each completed task allows the clan to take thirty percent of the commission to maintain clans around the realm. If there’s anything leftover, it’s divided among the three Heavenly Level teams."

Mu Qingge squinted her eyes, lost in thought.

After a while, she asked, "What are the names of the three current Heavenly Level Floating Guest Teams?"

Gan Xiong knew this detail and quickly provided the answer. "Xuan Yue, Bailian, Giant Spirit."

"Xuan Yue, Bailian, Giant Spirit," Mu Qingge muttered these three words silently.

She had learned quite a lot about the Floating Guest clan.

A vague plan in her mind was gradually becoming clear.

Mu Qingge collected her thoughts and said to Gan Xiong, "Brother Gan, why did you call out to me earlier?"

Upon mentioning the matter, Gan Xiong seemed a bit embarrassed and said, "I previously accepted a task, but we don’t have enough manpower, so I thought of temporarily finding a few Floating Guests to complete the task with us."

"Is that possible?" Mu Qingge’s eyes flashed with surprise.

Gan Xiong laughed heartily a few times and nodded, "According to the rules, a Floating Guest cannot form a team alone. But there are many Floating Guests who can’t find suitable people for a team, so our established teams can hire them. After completing the task, they get a share of the commission. Moreover, if both parties are satisfied after working together, they can be absorbed into the team and become official members. If not, after the task is complete, they can go their separate ways."

"I see." Mu Qingge nodded with a smile.

After chatting with Gan Xiong for a while, Mu Qingge had a rough understanding of what kind of organization the Floating Guest is.

She then asked, "How about if you want to issue a task? Can you also buy information from the Floating Guest clan?"

Mu Qingge visited the Floating Guest clan not just out of interest but also because she had something important she hoped to accomplish through them.

"Buy information? That’s definitely possible!" Gan Xiong replied, "Information is also considered a task, so just approach those who handle task selection. Once completed, there’s no need to come back here to collect it. The Floating Guest clan spans across every state and city in the Middle Ancient Realm, with its own information network. If the information isn’t too complicated, it can be provided immediately. If time is needed to investigate, you’ll be notified once the task is taken, and you can acquire it from any Floating Guest clan location at an agreed time."

"That’s quite convenient," Mu Qingge smiled.

Gan Xiong nodded and asked again, "Does young brother Mu want to buy information?"

Mu Qingge did not hide her intentions and nodded, "Yes, I want to inquire about a family."

"Family information?" Gan Xiong thought for a moment and said, "That depends on which family. If it’s just an ordinary one, the information is almost always readily available within the Floating Guest clan. If it’s an Ancient Clan, basic information is easy to get, but digging deeper would require time."

Ancient Clan!

When Mu Qingge heard this term, her heart skipped a beat.

Once, this term seemed so distant from her, yet now she appeared to be standing before it.

Her mother’s maternal family, the Sang Family, was one of the Ancient Clans.

Yet, she’s not in a hurry now. She first needs to resolve another matter, "The family I’m inquiring about isn’t an Ancient Clan; it’s a Le family from the Southern Continent." She also wanted to investigate Mu Yi’s family, but there was too little information, which might take some time, so she didn’t mention it.

Moreover, when Mu Yi appeared in Linchuan Realm, someone pursued closely but then mysteriously disappeared.

No one knows what interconnection there might be. If she rashly inquired about Mu Yi from the Floating Guest clan, it might alert some forces. If Mu Yi is still alive, it’s uncertain whether he would be affected.

Therefore, after some thought, Mu Qingge decided to resolve the Le family’s matter first.

Besides the Floating Guest clan, there was another excellent place for buying information in the Middle Ancient Realm! That was the Wanxiang Building!

After all, she also needed to go to Wanxiang Building to deliver the Earth Emperor Pill and could inquire about Mu Yi’s information then.

"Le Family?"

Gan Xiong’s surprised voice drew Mu Qingge’s attention.

"Brother Gan knows?" Mu Qingge looked at him.

Gan Xiong’s expression suddenly became awkward as if he didn’t know whether to speak or not.

But under Mu Qingge’s clear eyes, he bit his lip and spoke, "There is only one Le Family in the Southern Continent, and we happened to take on a task issued by the Le Family this time."

Mu Qingge was dumbfounded and thought to herself, ’What a coincidence!’

No wonder Gan Xiong looked troubled.

Mu Qingge quickly understood the dilemma Gan Xiong faced just now.

After all, the Le Family was their task’s employer; she was inquiring about the Le Family without him knowing why, and naturally, he felt uncomfortable disclosing more.

Gan Xiong ultimately chose to speak, which was already quite respectful.

"Brother Gan, could you tell me which city the Le Family is in?" Mu Qingge directly asked.

"This..." Gan Xiong hesitated.

Mu Qingge didn’t press him further and just waited patiently.

After a while, Gan Xiong shook his head apologetically, "Brother Mu, I don’t know if you have a bond or a grudge with the Le Family. But they are my employers now, so I cannot do their task and divulge their information at the same time. I’m sorry."

This answer was within Mu Qingge’s expectations, so she didn’t show disappointment. "Brother Gan, you don’t have to feel that way. I was indeed asking too much."

Gan Xiong grinned, seemingly feeling guilty towards Mu Qingge, so he thought for a moment and said, "The Le Family is just an ordinary family. Their information should be readily available within the Floating Guest clan. If you want to know, you can take a look upfront."

"Thank you, Brother Gan." Mu Qingge stood up, "Then I’ll take my leave for now. I’ll remember your help today. If you need assistance in the future, I will do my best."

Gan Xiong waved his hand, "It’s nothing, just a few words. No need to take it to heart."

"Dare I ask Brother Gan, what is the name of your guest team?" Mu Qingge asked directly.

"Uh!" Gan Xiong was taken aback and replied, "Mountain Sea."

Mu Qingge nodded, saying, "Farewell."

With that, she left Gan Xiong’s place with Xie Ya.

After they left, it suddenly dawned on Gan Xiong. He recalled what Mu Qingge said before leaving and shook his head with a wry smile, "A young master of a noble family indeed, saying goodbye today without knowing when we might meet again, yet speaking of repayment."

...

Mu Qingge arrived at the front courtyard of the Floating Guest Clan, heading straight to the task posting area.

Sitting there was an elderly man with a long beard, focused on organizing something.

Mu Qingge walked up to the table. He seemed to sense someone approaching and lifted his head from his work to look at her.

Upon sudden sight, a gleam flashed in his somewhat clouded eyes, which quickly dimmed again.

"What task do you want to post?" he asked, his voice hoarse and dry.

"I want information on the Le Family of the Southern Continent, what do I need?" Mu Qingge said straightforwardly.

"The Le Family of the Southern Continent..." The elderly man with a long beard seemed to fall into thought, standing in place without moving. After a long while, he finally said, "Ah! Three low-level spirit stones."

As soon as he finished speaking, three low-level spirit stones were tossed onto the table, making a crisp sound.

The long-bearded elder was startled, picking up the spirit stones from the table, discerning them carefully before putting them away. He then said to the two, "Wait here."

After that, he slowly walked towards another room.

Mu Qingge and Xie Ya waited outside, and before they knew it, half an hour had passed.

The long-bearded elder finally emerged, holding a dust-covered dossier. He muttered, "Incredible, such a minor family’s information, yet someone’s willing to buy it with spirit stones."

He walked over to Mu Qingge and handed the dossier, "Here, the Le Family of the Southern Continent that you wanted."

Xie Ya stepped forward to take the dossier, lightly brushing it with her hand, making the dust disappear completely. Her casual action caused the elder’s eyes to flicker, his expression no longer as casual and lazy as before.

"Young Master." Xie Ya moved to Mu Qingge’s side, whispering softly.

Mu Qingge nodded almost imperceptibly, then said, "Let’s go."

After speaking, she turned to leave. But after taking just two steps, she suddenly stopped and, as if unintentionally, asked the stunned elder, "Oh, right! I just heard that the Le Family has posted a task, do you know what it is?"

"Escorting a batch of goods from Haiyu City to Bianquan City." The elder blurted out, then quickly shut his mouth. His eyes widened, seemingly incredulous that he had cooperated so readily and disclosed the answer.

Mu Qingge’s lips curved slightly, "Thank you."

Then she left the Floating Guest Clan with Xie Ya.

Upon leaving the Floating Guest Clan, the sky had already turned dark.

Unknowingly, they had been in Haiyu City for most of the day.

"I wonder how Jing Hai fared in recruiting house servants at the Dou Family?" Xie Ya looked at Mu Qingge and said. Jing Hai was the first person they met upon entering the Middle Ancient Realm, and as a simple-minded young man, he naturally left an impression on Xie Ya.

Mu Qingge chuckled, "If what the people in the teahouse said weren’t just empty words, it would be wise for him to stay out of the Dou Family’s troubles."

Xie Ya recalled the information overheard in the teahouse and couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

"Let’s find a place to stay first." Mu Qingge suggested.

Xie Ya naturally had no objections, neither of them bothered about the incident with the Li Family’s young lady.

Casually strolling the streets, enjoying the local customs of Haiyu City, Mu Qingge and Xie Ya were also on the lookout for an inn that caught their eye.

Suddenly, a disturbance arose ahead.

"Hit him! Beat him to death!"

"You little brat! You don’t know how to appreciate favors! Today I’ll beat you to death and see who dares to stand up for you!"

Mu Qingge and Xie Ya stopped in their tracks, looking up.

At a nearby corner, a crowd gathered densely around something, pointing and gesturing.

"You bastards! Even if you beat me to death, I won’t kneel before you!" came the voice of a defiant young man.

The voice carried unwillingness, anger, and a refusal to yield at any cost.

But, this voice meant something else entirely to Mu Qingge and Xie Ya because the owner of the voice was Jing Hai.

"Let’s go have a look." Mu Qingge considered for a moment before speaking.

Xie Ya nodded, and the two of them walked towards the crowd.

As they got closer, some of the discussions reached their ears.

"I heard these two lads went to the Dou Family to apply as house servants, got rejected, were dissatisfied, and caused trouble here, which is why they’re being dealt with by the Dou Family’s steward."

"Truly clueless, do they think being a house servant for the Dou Family is that easy? If these two kids could do it, we could too."

"Exactly! They were explicitly told no, and yet they refused to give up, who else should be dealt with if not them?"

These comments reached Mu Qingge and Xie Ya’s ears, making them frown involuntarily.

In their memory, Jing Hai wasn’t the kind of person these people described.

Mu Qingge and Xie Ya squeezed through the crowd and saw Jing Hai in the center, being beaten by several people.

He curled up, protecting his head with his arms, while the Dou family’s people punched and kicked him. Mu Qingge noticed that these house servants of the Dou Family had some cultivation foundation. Although they were only at the Middle Rank of the Purple Realm, they infused their punches and kicks with spiritual power while beating Jing Hai. Every punch and kick seemed just superficial, but in reality, it damaged Jing Hai’s meridians and bones.

This insidious method made Mu Qingge’s eyes flash darkly.

’And where is the other person?’ Mu Qingge recalled that Jing Hai hadn’t gone to the Dou Family alone; accompanying him was a boy named Shi Bo, so she glanced around.

Sure enough, she spotted Shi Bo within the crowd.

Shi Bo wasn’t being beaten; he was just kneeling before a middle-aged man dressed in slightly luxurious garments, hugging his head tightly, shoulders shaking, emitting cries.

This scene caused Mu Qingge’s eyes to become shadowy.

Two boys traveling together, yet facing entirely different situations, what was this all about?

At that moment, Shi Bo was kicked over by the middle-aged man, rolling on the ground.

The middle-aged man mocked, "Isn’t he your fellow townsman? He’s almost beaten to death, yet you don’t even try to persuade him?"

Shi Bo was terrified, and upon hearing the middle-aged man’s words, he scrambled on his knees to Jing Hai’s side, not daring to get close, fearful of being beaten. "Xiao Hai... Xiao Hai... Just lower your head! Isn’t kneeling and kowtowing better than being beaten to death?"

Jing Hai gritted his teeth, enduring the blows, and upon hearing Shi Bo’s words, he spat, loudly declaring: "Even if you beat me to death, I won’t kowtow! Clearly, their recruitment is shady, and upon being exposed, they resort to violence, forcing me to admit wrongdoing. If I refuse, they want to beat me to death! Fine then! Beat me to death! If you don’t kill me, I’ll make sure to take you down!"

In his final words, a fierce intensity shone from Jing Hai’s previously innocent eyes.

This made Mu Qingge’s eyebrows raise slightly.

"Xiao Hai, just stop being stubborn! You want to die, but I don’t!" Shi Bo cried out.

The Dou family’s middle-aged man laughed sardonically at Jing Hai’s words, "Shady dealings? So what if there are? Does my Dou Family need to explain anything to a brat like you?"

Jing Hai shouted loudly, "You! We saw you take someone else’s money!"

The middle-aged man’s eyes suddenly turned fierce, and he said hatefully, "You’re looking for death! Beat him up!"

With that, his fierce gaze swung sharply towards Shi Bo.

Shi Bo was scared half to death and hurriedly said, "It’s not me, it’s not me... I... I didn’t see anything, I saw nothing! I beg you, spare me!"

Saying this, he knelt down and started kowtowing to the middle-aged man repeatedly.

The incident seemed to gradually become clearer.

However, no one sympathized with Jing Hai’s plight. To the onlookers, whoever had the hardest fist was the truth. Even if the steward of the Dou Family did take someone’s bribe, so what? What did it matter to them?

They would only mock the youth’s ignorance in their hearts, laugh at his childishness.

The crowd’s indifference, Shi Bo’s kneeling and pleading, Dou Family steward’s arrogant laughter, made the clarity in Jing Hai’s eyes fade away. It was as if he was only now realizing what the real world was like.

"Boy, want me to spare you?" The Dou Family steward suddenly said to Shi Bo.

Shi Bo nodded frantically.

However, he didn’t notice the flash of malice in the eyes of the Dou Family steward.

Clang!

A dagger fell in front of Shi Bo.

The Dou Family steward laughed coldly, looking down at him, "Isn’t he your good friend? Kill him, and I will believe that you are truly remorseful."

Saying this, he winked at those beating Jing Hai.

Those few stepped back, stopped beating, but didn’t leave either.

"What!" Shi Bo looked at him in shock.

Jing Hai also heard these words, he suddenly lifted his head, his gaze fierce like a wounded beast, staring at the Dou Family steward.

"I... I..." Shi Bo was already scared out of his wits.

"Pick up the dagger!" The Dou Family steward shouted abruptly.

Shi Bo trembled all over, hurriedly picking up the dagger from the ground.

"Kill him! I’ll make an exception to let you into the Dou Mansion." The Dou Family steward’s voice continually coaxed in Shi Bo’s ear.

"Kill Xiao Hai, enter the Dou Mansion... Kill Xiao Hai, enter the Dou Mansion..." Shi Bo’s hands were trembling as he gripped the dagger, slowly turning to look at Jing Hai.

The onlookers, none of them intended to intervene, instead, all watched the show indifferently.

They were even curious if this timid and cowardly boy would dare to stab this dagger into the chest of the youth on the ground.

"Shi Bo..." Jing Hai looked at Shi Bo in shock.

He was stunned by the growing murderous intent in Shi Bo’s eyes.

"Shi Bo... Shi Bo... it’s me, Xiao Hai!" Jing Hai shouted at Shi Bo with a reddened neck.

Shi Bo suddenly looked up, his eyes becoming blood-red, muttering to himself: "Kill Xiao Hai, then I can enter the Dou Mansion, once in the Dou Mansion, I can cultivate, and no one will bully me again... Kill Xiao Hai..."

He knelt and slowly approached Jing Hai, seeming to not hear no matter how Jing Hai shouted.

The smile on the Dou Family steward’s face was particularly glaring, that sinister cruelty exuded from his bones couldn’t be concealed. The other servants from the Dou Family were also watching with amused faces, as if Jing Hai’s life meant nothing at all to them.

"Ah—!" Shi Bo screamed, raised the dagger high, and stabbed fiercely towards Jing Hai’s chest.

If he succeeded, Jing Hai would surely die!

As the dagger fell, Jing Hai held his breath, eyes wide open staring at the dagger falling towards him, still not believing that his former friend actually intended to kill him.

Just as the dagger was about to pierce Jing Hai’s clothes, it was as if Shi Bo was struck violently by an invisible force, his entire body flung away, landing heavily at the feet of the Dou Family steward, the dagger also falling aside.

The Dou Family steward immediately shouted, "Who dares to meddle in the Dou Family’s affairs!"

"It’s me." Two lightly spoken words slowly rang out amidst the crowd.

When the people around Mu Qingge subconsciously made way, they discovered the speaker was an exceptionally handsome, stunningly enchanting young man in red, behind him followed an extraordinarily beautiful woman in a white dress, ethereal and otherworldly like an immortal.

Mu Qingge’s voice made the fallen Jing Hai raise his head to look.

When he saw Mu Qingge and Xie Ya, he couldn’t help but call out, "Brother Mu!"

Mu Qingge glanced at him, nodded slightly, and stepped forward a few steps.

Xie Ya also came to Jing Hai’s side, helping him up from the ground, inspecting his injuries. Upon seeing, Xie Ya frowned, with a hint of anger emerging in her bright eyes.

If it weren’t for Jing Hai’s good constitution, he probably couldn’t have withstood the earlier punches and kicks.

Even now, Jing Hai was only holding on with a stubborn breath of energy, to avoid collapsing.

These people were too vicious to lay hands on a child.

"Who are you? How dare you interfere with the Dou Family’s affairs!" The Dou Family steward shouted sternly at Mu Qingge. The Dou Family servants also surrounded the three of them.

"Hmm, isn’t that the young master who hit the eldest Miss of the Li Family in the teahouse today?"

Someone in the crowd recognized Mu Qingge and Xie Ya.

No wonder they had a good memory, it was just that the pair was too unforgettable in appearance.

"Just offended the Li Family, now interfering with the Dou Family’s matter. Where did this troublemaking brat come from? Really knows how to stir things up!"

"Heh heh, why do you care so much? We’re just here to watch the show."

Amidst the crowd, there were whispers of discussion.

"Who I am is not important; what’s important is that you hit my person." Mu Qingge slightly raised an eyebrow, giving the Dou Family steward a cold smile.

The Dou Family steward was startled, then immediately sneered, "So you know this stubborn bone! What, you want to back him up? Do you know about our Dou Family in this Haiyu... Ah—!"

A shrill scream interrupted his words, and in the sight of everyone, the Dou Family steward was punched away, crashing through the crowd and slamming into the wall.

In an instant, the wall was covered with cracks.

And the arrogant Dou Family steward was embedded in the wall, as if his bones were crushed.

This scene made the place fall silent, everyone opened their eyes wide, looking at Xie Ya who was slowly standing and raising her fist.

Probably no one expected that such an ethereal, stunningly beautiful and delicate woman, would be so violent, and so powerful, to punch the Dou Family steward like this.

If they hadn’t seen wrongly, shouldn’t the Dou Family steward be at the Purple Realm Peak!

Not only the onlookers, but even the Dou Mansion servants were stunned.

Shi Bo was stunned, Jing Hai was also stunned.

Jing Hai looked up at Xie Ya, shockingly gawking with his mouth agape.

Only Mu Qingge seemed to have anticipated this scene, the corners of his lips lifted into a delighted smile.