Jia Wei misunderstood his intentions. Fearing she would fall victim to the Southern Yi people, she struggled desperately, trying to drag him down with her.

The Ye family members who had initially surrounded Zhou Qiangwei, seeing her subdued, all turned and surged toward him, their eyes bloodshot and clearly enraged, displaying a reckless disregard for their own lives.

Ji Changkong, who had intended to play the hero saving the damsel, suddenly found himself at a loss, forcing a wry smile as he deflected the Ye family retainers' frenzied assault. Worried that he might accidentally harm or kill these servants, Ji Changkong was stretched thin, maneuvering clumsily while simultaneously guarding against Zhou Qiangwei's suicidal struggle.

Out of options, Ji Changkong was forced to exert a slight effort, freeing one hand to grasp Zhou Qiangwei's slender, soft waist from behind. With the other hand, he seized the dagger she held and sharply pressed it against her pale, delicate neck, shouting loudly, "Stop!"

"Kill me then! Even if I die, I won't let you succeed!" Zhou Qiangwei finally showed alarm, crying out with heartbroken fury.

The Ye family servants, who had been frantically attacking Ji Changkong, instantly froze when they saw the dagger pressed against Zhou Qiangwei's throat, glaring furiously at him.

The Southern Yi Heavenly Soldiers who had been slaughtering the Ye family also paused, staring strangely at the chaotic mess among the Ye family members and at Ji Changkong holding Zhou Qiangwei captive, completely bewildered by the turn of events.

"Little brother, that young lady caught my eye. It’s my turn to play with her after I’m done; don't blame me if you try to cut in line," the burly Southern Yi youth said, his face darkening with displeasure as he looked at Ji Changkong.

Ji Changkong, holding the constantly struggling Zhou Qiangwei with one arm, felt his broad chest pressed tightly against her soft, full back. This intimate scene led the youth to believe Ji Changkong was a kindred spirit. The prey he had been watching for so long was suddenly being snatched away—a fact that clearly annoyed him immensely.

Hearing this, Zhou Qiangwei was even more convinced Ji Changkong was no good. With her waist encircled by a large hand, she could feel the heat emanating from his arm, causing a profound sense of humiliation to rise within her heart. She struggled with all her might but found herself unable to break free from the powerful grip, her face growing increasingly panicked.

After his loud shout, Ji Changkong had intended to explain that his actions were purely well-intentioned. However, Zhou Qiangwei struggled so fiercely that her slender waist and pert backside pressed tightly against his chest and abdomen. Every effort she made to break free caused intense friction against his torso.

A soul-stirring, intoxicating pleasure shot up from his groin and lower abdomen. This sensation was utterly unique, something he had never experienced. For a moment, he was stunned into silence, forgetting what he meant to say. He could only furrow his brow, his expression oscillating between pain and ecstasy as he absorbed that heart-shaking, exquisite feeling.

Zhou Qiangwei struggled for a while longer before suddenly realizing a hard, iron-like object pressing against her hips. Her delicate body seemed struck by lightning. Realizing what had happened, her face instantly flushed crimson. Grief and indignation surged through her like a collapsing mountain flood. Gritting her teeth, she remained silent, mentally cursing Ji Changkong with the most venomous words she could conjure, yet she dared not move her body an inch.

Ji Changkong, who had been savoring that blissful sensation, suddenly felt the comforting feeling vanish without a trace. His mind blanked. Addicted to the pleasure, he instinctively moved his hips slightly, allowing the hardness against him to rock gently back and forth in the cleft of her buttocks.

Zhou Qiangwei’s body jolted violently, as if she could barely remain standing. Her teeth were nearly ground to dust, cursing him mentally as the most shameless, depraved man alive. Struggling to steady herself, she was at a complete loss.

After a few dazed movements, Ji Changkong slowly came back to his senses, finally realizing what he had done without conscious thought. His handsome face instantly flushed red. He quickly leaned close to Zhou Qiangwei’s glistening, rosy ear and whispered, "I apologize. Just now, I—I don't know what I did."

"Kill me!" Zhou Qiangwei cried out again in heartbroken anguish, her neck, where the dagger rested, flushed like the glow of sunset, desperately trying to evade his approaching mouth.

Zhou Miaoshan whirled around in terror, staring at Ji Changkong and crying out involuntarily, "You, what do you want? Don't hurt my daughter. If you want something, take it from me. Please, just don't hurt Qiangwei!" By the end of her plea, Zhou Miaoshan was on the verge of tears.

"Zhou Miaoshan, you—you don't recognize me?" Ji Changkong was stunned.

"If I offended you somewhere in the past, take it out on me, just don't touch my daughter; she hasn't provoked anyone. I beg you, please let her go," Zhou Miaoshan pleaded urgently, her eyes overflowing with tears.

Ji Changkong finally confirmed that Zhou Miaoshan had forgotten him.

It was understandable; back at the Spirit Treasure Hall, he was an obscure figure whom someone like Zhou Miaoshan would naturally not notice. Furthermore, his appearance had changed somewhat over the past few years; both his physique and demeanor were vastly different from before.

"Zhou Miaoshan, several years ago at the Chen family's Spirit Treasure Hall, you purchased saliva from the Thousand-Year Purple Gold Toad from me. Do you recall?"

Zhou Miaoshan clearly paused, scrutinizing Ji Changkong closely before a glimmer of recognition surfaced. "You, you are that youth from back then? Why? We have no quarrel; why are you treating us like this?" She still believed Ji Changkong's appearance was motivated by malice.

With a wry smile, Ji Changkong thought for a moment, then looked up at the Southern Yi Heavenly Soldiers still menacingly surrounding them, choosing action over words.

He casually tossed the dagger aside. Keeping one arm tightly around Zhou Qiangwei, he flicked his other hand upward. A massive, multicolored light hoop immediately formed, descending toward the Southern Yi Heavenly Soldiers.

Three gathered Southern Yi Heavenly Soldiers reacted too late before being enveloped by the five-colored light ring, which synthesized the power of the Five Elements. The rotation of their souls suddenly slowed tenfold. A heavy oppressive force erupted from the ring. With a series of sharp, explosive cracking sounds, the three Southern Yi Heavenly Soldiers instantly became three clumps of bloody pulp, falling limply to the ground.

The ugly Southern Yi woman’s face suddenly registered sheer terror. She let out a loud cry in the Southern Yi language and rushed forward desperately to try and block the slowly advancing multicolored light hoop.

The burly Southern Yi youth, initially startled, suddenly realized what was happening and fled outward recklessly, his speed astonishingly high.

The youth escaped, but the woman poured all her power into resisting the light hoop. With her cultivation at the Seven-Star Heavenly Realm, her full strength prevented the hoop from instantly shattering her.

Frowning slightly, Ji Changkong struck again. A sky-blue heavenly thunderbolt, the size of a human head, plummeted into the multicolored light hoop, exploding violently beside the woman.

All the woman’s defensive power disintegrated following the explosion of the blue thunderbolt. The multicolored light hoop descended without resistance. She couldn't escape; her body convulsed inward, accompanied by continuous sounds of shattering bone, and she too became a pile of flesh on the ground.

This momentary delay allowed the Southern Yi youth to vanish strangely from his spiritual sense, disappearing in the direction of the Poison Dragon Pool.

Not pursuing the youth, Ji Changkong subtly loosened the hand gripping Zhou Qiangwei’s waist, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "I truly have no malice toward you. I am very sorry about what just happened…"

Finally letting go completely, Ji Changkong stepped back a distance from Zhou Qiangwei, spreading his hands and offering a wry smile to Zhou Miaoshan. "My sudden action was purely to stop your daughter's suicidal impulse. We hold no ill will toward you at all."

In an instant, the Southern Yi experts were either dead or fled, and the crisis was resolved.

Zhou Miaoshan looked at Ji Changkong dazedly. After a long moment, she snapped back to reality and murmured, "You, you really are that youth who sold me the saliva of the Thousand-Year Purple Gold Toad at the Spirit Treasure Assembly?"

Ji Changkong smiled and nodded. "Indeed."

"Madam?" The Ye family servants, still surrounding Ji Changkong, looked at her inquiringly.

Waving her hand to disperse the servants, Zhou Miaoshan frowned slightly. She glanced at her daughter, whose face was flushed and silent, then at the composed Ji Changkong, and gave a nearly imperceptible nod. "Thank you for your help."

Zhou Qiangwei turned back, her face deeply crimson, looking at him. Her ruby lips moved slightly. With a frustrated stomp of her foot, she busied herself tending to the poisoned Ye family servants.

Ji Changkong couldn't help but smile wryly. Though Zhou Qiangwei hadn't spoken, the movement of her lips clearly formed the words "Big pervert." Feeling guilty, Ji Changkong avoided her gaze, chuckled awkwardly, and bid Zhou Miaoshan farewell. "Ahem, I assume things here are settled. Uh, I have some matters to attend to, so I won't impose further. Goodbye... goodbye."

He stole a glance at Zhou Qiangwei, his gaze lingering momentarily on the curve of her waist and hips as she bent over with her back to him, feeling an indescribable, strange sensation.

Whether Zhou Qiangwei sensed his look or heard he was leaving, she suddenly turned to look at him, their eyes meeting unexpectedly.

"Definitely a big pervert!" Zhou Qiangwei frowned, expressing her meaning through lip movements again.

Meeting Zhou Qiangwei's accusatory gaze, Ji Changkong flinched again, his old face uncharacteristically reddening. "Sorry, that... I disturbed you. See you next time."

For some reason, Ji Changkong felt a little intimidated by Zhou Qiangwei. Consumed by guilt, he dared not look into her seemingly expressive bright eyes again, only wanting to put distance between them.

"Wait a moment," Zhou Miaoshan called out softly, a slight smile gracing her face. "Young friend, you saved us. The Ye family does not forget gratitude. We don't even know your name, which is improper. If you leave without accepting our thanks, I will feel uneasy."

"No need for thanks; it was nothing," Ji Changkong said with a smile, then sped up his pace as he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Zhou Qiangwei turned, her beautiful eyes looking at him with complicated emotion.

"Ah!" Ji Changkong let out a small exclamation and turned back with a pained smile, looking at her dryly. "What is it?"

He didn't know why, but whenever he faced Zhou Qiangwei, he felt inexplicably guilty. He was afraid of this girl, who, despite her lower cultivation level, was remarkably composed.

"Can you see this good deed through to the end and send us out of the Cloud Dream Marsh?" Zhou Qiangwei gazed deeply at him. "Those Southern Yi people might come back. I’m afraid if you leave, we still won't be able to leave the Cloud Dream Marsh. If you are willing to escort us out, our Ye family will pay you some—some remuneration."

"Qiangwei, he has already done us a great kindness by saving us; how can we keep demanding more!" Zhou Miaoshan chided, vaguely sensing something unusual about her daughter; she was usually not one to burden others. Why was she actively asking him to stay this time?

"This... well, alright," Ji Changkong, burdened by guilt, felt even more uneasy under Zhou Qiangwei's gaze and agreed with a pained smile. Zhou Miaoshan was stunned; she hadn't expected Ji Changkong to actually agree.

In her mind, Ji Changkong was a very mysterious youth. She vaguely recalled that when he sold her the Thousand-Year Purple Gold Toad saliva at the Spirit Treasure Assembly years ago, his cultivation must have been very low, otherwise she wouldn't have warned him to be wary of that vengeful woman from the Murong family.

In just a few years, upon meeting again, this youth possessed the power to instantly kill a Seven-Star Heavenly Soldier. This massive gap in cultivation made Zhou Miaoshan subtly uneasy. She was guarded against forming a deep bond with him.

In her view, having Ji Changkong—who could incapacitate their entire group at any moment—nearby in a place like the Cloud Dream Marsh was actually quite dangerous. If he suddenly harbored any wicked thoughts, they would have no chance whatsoever.

Zhou Miaoshan, with her rich life experience, disliked the feeling of her life being held in someone else's hands and wished to prevent any unfavorable situation from arising.

"Actually, we were planning to go to the Southern Yi territory this time. Who knew we would run into this as soon as we reached the Cloud Dream Marsh," Zhou Qiangwei sighed softly, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "To go back now without concluding things properly—I don't know what the Ye family elders will say about Mother."

His heart skipped a beat, and Ji Changkong looked at her strangely, asking in surprise, "Uh, what do you mean?"

Zhou Qiangwei pursed her lips into a slight smile, looking directly at Ji Changkong. "What are you doing in the Cloud Dream Marsh? Where is your destination?"

"Does that concern you?" Ji Changkong asked, bewildered.

"If it isn't too much trouble, could you take us toward the Southern Yi region? Once we leave the Cloud Dream Marsh, people from the Baiyi tribe will meet us. We have business in the Southern Yi territory," Zhou Qiangwei explained. "Leaving the Cloud Dream Marsh toward the Shuiyun Kingdom from here, versus leaving toward the Baiyi territory, doesn't differ much in distance."

"Absolutely not!" Before Ji Changkong could respond, Zhou Miaoshan immediately shook her head in refusal. "From here to the rendezvous point with the Baiyi tribe is a considerable distance, and those people won't give up easily. It's too dangerous. It doesn't matter if we fail this transaction this time; we absolutely cannot take such a huge risk."

The Ye family servants also showed subtle changes in expression. With some dead and others injured, and having incurred such serious trouble, venturing deeper into the Cloud Dream Marsh rashly was too perilous. They didn't mind dying, but they feared Zhou Miaoshan and her daughter falling into the hands of villains and suffering unimaginable humiliation.

Zhou Qiangwei, however, seemed undaunted. She let out a soft cry, "Mother! If this matter fails, who knows what the elders will say when we return? Father has worked so hard all these years; if we can't help him in this matter, the several uncles are likely to..."

All prominent families have struggles for the position of Patriarch, and the Ye family is no exception. It seemed Ye Hongru intended to vie for the position of Ye family head, which was why he needed to use his wife and daughter externally to secure some kind of benefit for him.

When Zhou Qiangwei uttered this, Zhou Miaoshan fell silent, appearing conflicted.

"If you are willing to help us, I will forget—forget the disrespect you showed me just now!" Zhou Qiangwei’s bright eyes fixed on Ji Changkong like lightning.

"Qiangwei, that's enough! He acted purely to save you just now; don't be ungrateful!" Zhou Miaoshan quickly scolded, afraid her daughter might offend Ji Changkong.

Ji Changkong, who had been holding Zhou Qiangwei just moments before, was positioned behind her, shielding her from Zhou Miaoshan's view. Zhou Miaoshan hadn't seen anything. Her understanding of "disrespect" was merely the roughness of Ji Changkong's handling of her daughter.

Zhou Miaoshan was unaware of the true situation, but Ji Changkong, one of the parties involved, understood perfectly. From the hesitation in Zhou Qiangwei's tone, he realized the "disrespect" she referred to was his slight, suggestive movement against her lower abdomen.

His old face flushing red, Ji Changkong felt awkward. After hesitating, he reluctantly nodded. "Fine, I will escort you out of the Cloud Dream Marsh."

"Ah?" Zhou Miaoshan exclaimed, looking astonished. "Oh, how embarrassing..."

"It's nothing, just on the way. However, I need to go somewhere first; you'll have to wait for me for a while."

"Okay," Zhou Qiangwei agreed immediately, her expressive eyes flickering toward Ji Changkong, the corner of her mouth twitching, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing that Ji Changkong had truly agreed, Zhou Miaoshan, though suspicious, said nothing more, only looking at him strangely.

Once the arrangement was settled, Zhou Qiangwei stopped the chatter and immediately resumed tending to the injured Ye family servants. Although her cultivation wasn't profound, she seemed quite adept at formulating medicinal pastes. She bustled about, preparing things for a while, and the poisoned Ye family servants showed noticeable improvement; the toxins in their bodies were easily cleared by the small bottles and jars in her fair hands.

As the young mistress of the Ye family, Zhou Qiangwei showed great care for her subordinates, not putting on any airs of nobility. She personally handled the wounds of the injured, unafraid of the stench of clotted blood or the danger of touching poisons, her movements swift and precise—earning Ji Changkong a quiet measure of admiration.

Soon, she had cleared all residual poison from the Ye family servants. Zhou Qiangwei stood up and gracefully approached Ji Changkong, saying coolly, "We are ready; we can go now."

A faint fragrance drifted over him, stirring Ji Changkong's heart. He involuntarily recalled the previous exquisite sensation. He nodded silently and walked alongside her, his mind still drifting back to that moment.

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