Chapter 64: The Clever Woman.

However, amidst the time when the competition among the young generations of the five major families was about to begin, a series of shocking news erupted within the Stone City. First, it was reported that the Du family would only have one participant in the young generation's competition, named Du Shaofu, a young man known as a fool, who had already become a well-known figure in the Stone City.

The second shocking news was the engagement of the Qin family. Qin Xiaolu, the daughter of the Qin family, was engaged to a young man named Cao Qitai.

It was said that on the day of the engagement, many imperial knights gathered to guard outside the Qin family's residence, and the heads of the major families and the city lord also personally attended the Qin family. It was not hard for outsiders to guess that the young man named Cao Qitai must have a very special background.

What was even more unexpected was that news spread that Cao Qitai, now engaged to Qin Xiaolu, was considered half of the Qin family. Therefore, he would also represent the Qin family in the competition among the young generations of the five major families.

Standing on the balcony of a building in the Stone City, the distant mountains were shrouded in a light mist, faintly visible, appearing and disappearing in the ethereal clouds, like a few light strokes of ink on the blue sky.

Qin Xiaolu stood on the balcony, quietly gazing into the distance. Her beautiful face was filled with tears, her eyes moist, as if in a dream.

"I hate it!"

After a long time, Qin Xiaolu's lips parted slightly, and she uttered two short words. She gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, knowing that she had no choice but to accept this.

"What are you doing here alone?"

A rather clear and captivating male voice came, and a young man in a long robe appeared behind Qin Xiaolu. He was tall and slender, with a handsome face that made people feel very comfortable.

"Cao Qitai, what are you doing here?" Qin Xiaolu turned around, looking at the young man behind her, her eyes filled with some displeasure, even a trace of hidden resentment.

Cao Qitai looked at Qin Xiaolu, still smiling. This smile was enough to make those infatuated girls lose their minds. He said lightly, "You are my fiancée now, can't I come to see you?"

"You should know that I have no choice in this matter." Qin Xiaolu bit her lower lip, not knowing why, but she felt an无形的压力 in front of this young man, a pressure that made her very uncomfortable.

"Of course I know you have no choice, but I also know that you are now my fiancée, Cao Qitai's fiancée, right?" Cao Qitai smiled.

"This is not my choice. I'll leave first, excuse me." Qin Xiaolu gritted her teeth and wanted to step past Cao Qitai to leave.

"Your fiancé just arrived, and you want to leave? Do you have a problem with me?" Cao Qitai still had a charming smile on his face, but he moved slightly, blocking Qin Xiaolu's path.

"Cao Qitai, do you think being my fiancé gives you the right to control me? You're not good enough!"

Qin Xiaolu's face turned grim, and her delicate hands moved rapidly, forming intricate arcs like two snakes. In a breath, she formed a palm strike and aimed it directly at Cao Qitai.

"Xian Tian realm, quite a good talent."

As he spoke, Cao Qitai's face turned slightly darker. His hand seals changed, and his right hand lightly swiped, releasing a faint energy. It seemed slow, but it was as fast as lightning, carrying a cold aura. The energy instantly struck Qin Xiaolu's palm.

"Bang!"

The two attacks collided, causing the space to ripple. Qin Xiaolu was thrown back, landing several meters away.

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of fresh blood spurted from her tender red lips. When Qin Xiaolu looked up at Cao Qitai again, her eyes were filled with disbelief, a complex mix of shock and confusion.

"I am not Bai Tianming of the Bai family. You should know your place. Whether you like it or not, your engagement to me is a request from your Qin family to my Cao family. If you can't choose, then you must accept the consequences. I admit you have some beauty, and your Qin family still has some use. Everyone knows this. Otherwise, I wouldn't lack for women like you."

Cao Qitai looked down at Qin Xiaolu, his expression unchanged, as if the woman he had just thrown back had nothing to do with him. His eyes even carried a coldness as he said softly, "I know you seem to have some feelings for An Long of the An family. But don't blame me for not warning you. If I hear anything in the future, think about the consequences, and think about your entire Qin family. You are not a stupid woman, I believe you know what to do."

Qin Xiaolu stood up, her body trembling as she looked into Cao Qitai's cold eyes. At that moment, she realized who this man was. He was a demon, and his previous gentleness was all an act.

"It seems you understand. That's good. After all, we will be a couple, a family."

Cao Qitai's grim expression instantly disappeared. He walked gently to Qin Xiaolu, cupping her beautiful face, and lifted his sleeve to gently wipe the blood from her red lips, speaking tenderly and sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Xiaolu. I was too rough. Forgive me. I won't do it again. Du Shaofu hurt you last time. I will make him pay for it."

Qin Xiaolu stood there, her eyes filled with unease, allowing Cao Qitai to do as he pleased. Finally, she was gently embraced by Cao Qitai. From a distance, they looked like a loving couple.

Indeed, they were more than just a couple.

At the Du family, Du Shaofu was always out early and returning late, sometimes not seen for several days. In about a month, Du Shaofu spent nine-tenths of his time on the back mountain.

During this nearly one-month period, Du Shaofu made significant progress, not only in alchemy and mental power cultivation but also in martial arts.

However, both in martial arts and spirit alchemy, Zhen Qingchun suppressed Du Shaofu's progress.

According to Zhen Qingchun, whether in martial arts or spirit alchemy, the foundation was the most important. The foundation determined the future height.

It was said that the young generations of powerful forces and ancient clans deliberately suppressed their cultivation in the early stages to make their foundations as solid and complete as possible. Once such formidable figures emerged, they were invincible at the same level, even capable of defeating opponents of higher levels.

This greatly shocked Du Shaofu, and he couldn't help but wonder how he would compare to the young generations of the major forces and clans. Would he be able to match those heavenly prodigies?

From Zhen Qingchun, Du Shaofu also learned a lot about spirit alchemy, broadening his horizons.

Occasionally, Zhen Qingchun would talk about things outside, and the more he knew, the more Du Shaofu realized how important absolute strength was in this world.

Sitting cross-legged on a rock, Du Shaofu formed a mysterious hand seal, and circles of unpredictable light rings surrounded his body. A faint and special energy波动 spread from his眉心, becoming increasingly dense.

"Can this freak succeed?"

Not far away, Zhen Qingchun's ethereal figure watched Du Shaofu sitting cross-legged on the rock, his face tense and full of anticipation.