The Han people were immediately intrigued. It was the first time they had heard such a strange term, "Tie Qi," and it seemed deeply connected to Leng Xiangxue, judging by the sudden flush on her cheeks. Anything that could cause Leng Xiangxue to lose her composure was rare, so naturally, everyone was curious!

"Sister Bei'er, what exactly does this 'Tie Qi' mean?" Qieli asked, her expression full of curiosity.

"You all don't know?" Xibei'er looked at them with a strange expression.

The group unanimously shook their heads, all looking pleadingly at Xibei'er, hoping she would explain. Angeliya was equally curious and looked at Xibei'er with the same gaze.

"'Tie Qi' means a wife who is willing to pay her own way into the marriage!" Xibei'er summarized in a single sentence.

The crowd was silent for a long moment, as if they hadn't heard her. In reality, they were stunned speechless.

"Bei'er, are you saying Leng Xiangxue is Angeliya's wife?" Makexin asked, eyes wide open.

Everyone else also stared intently at Xibei'er. They all assumed they must have misheard.

Xibei'er nodded, and her expression did not suggest she was joking.

In an instant, everyone's gaze shifted in unison towards Leng Xiangxue, who had already lowered her head, looking as if even the nape of her neck was beginning to flush red.

Angeliya was dumbfounded. This was the most absurd thing she had ever heard in her life, and it somehow involved her!

"But—but aren't they both women?" Makexin quickly interjected with a corrective tone.

The others nodded along, their gazes once again moving to Xibei'er.

"Angeliya, are you perhaps a woman disguised as a man?" Elena suddenly chimed in.

As soon as the question was asked, everyone’s eyes refocused on Angeliya, scrutinizing her up and down as if trying to find any subtle clues.

Angeliya never imagined that one day she would face such a serious question. She panicked immediately and rushed to say, "I am a woman," stopping just short of adding, "I am a genuine, untouched maiden!"

However, the others continued to stare at her with that detective-like scrutiny, as if they wouldn't believe it without scientific verification.

Angeliya was incredibly flustered. It was a private matter she couldn't easily prove to them, leaving her only able to fret anxiously.

Kaini was chuckling softly, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

Fortunately, at Angeliya's moment of greatest peril, Xia Luo stepped forward and declared, "Everyone, please don't doubt Angeliya. I can vouch for her; she is a woman!"

Xia Luo knew the truth of this matter best. Having eaten and lived with Angeliya, and even having bathed with her, she was the one most certain about whether Angeliya was male or female!

Originally, she had wanted to watch Angeliya suffer the embarrassment, as such opportunities were rare. But then she considered that if Angeliya were suspected of being male, then she, having lived with Angeliya for so many years, would also be implicated...

Angeliya shot Xia Luo a look filled with gratitude. Xia Luo quickly returned a look that said, You're welcome.

Since Angeliya’s gender was apparently not in question, the problem must lie with Xibei'er's words. The crowd's gaze swung back to Xibei'er, hoping she would provide a detailed and unambiguous answer!

Xibei'er had been thoroughly amused by the way they had been scrutinizing Angeliya, and now seeing everyone so keen to know the answer, she found it difficult to remain silent. Finally, she relayed everything she knew to the group.

After hearing Xibei'er’s explanation, the others finally understood that the so-called "Tie Qi" was simply a term used for two women in love. Furthermore, the one designated as the "Tie Qi" was expected to obey the other as a wife would. Moreover, if the partner were ever to marry someone else, the "Tie Qi" would also have to marry along, much like a "wife who comes attached"—a buy-one-get-one-free deal, it seemed! (Sweat drop!)

This term "Tie Qi" wasn't used everywhere; it was confined to certain specific circles, akin to a local custom.

Just as Leng Xiangxue knew Xibei'er was mixed-race, Xibei'er knew about the custom of the "Tie Qi." Although they weren't from the same country, their hometowns were close enough that they shared knowledge of certain accepted local practices.

At this point, everyone felt a sense of sudden enlightenment. No wonder Leng Xiangxue cared so much about Angeliya. No wonder she listened to Angeliya so readily. So, they had this kind of relationship!

At this moment, Leng Xiangxue lowered her head even further. That custom truly existed in her hometown. However, she had never actually considered becoming a "Tie Qi." But when she spent time with Angeliya, she constantly struggled to suppress certain strange thoughts in her mind, causing her great internal conflict. Since she had no one to confide in, she had simply been taking things one step at a time, never expecting Xibei'er to bring it up today. Caught completely off guard, she didn't know how to react!

Angeliya was even more shell-shocked. Her mind was a complete blank, and her eyes, fixed on Leng Xiangxue, lacked any focus.

How could this be?

Angeliya had never even considered such a thing; it was completely unimaginable to her. To think such a custom existed!

How could two women be together?

Who would bear children then?

Thinking along these lines, Angeliya’s face also began to turn red. Despite her usual icy demeanor, she was actually quite sensitive about such matters.

Kaini, standing nearby, was shaking with laughter. Seeing Angeliya's distress, she certainly didn't forget to tease her.

"Angeliya, I never expected you to have a wife already! And what a beautiful, radiant wife you have!" Kaini poked the stunned Angeliya and chuckled again.

At this point, Xia Luo stopped helping and even joined the teasing. "I didn't realize Angeliya was such a master of romance! Hehe."

"Angeliya, when are you treating us to wedding sweets?" Qieli even jumped in.

One by one, the others bombarded Angeliya with remarks until she was utterly humiliated, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to slip into. Finally, with no other recourse, she shouted, "We—we are innocent!"

Surprisingly, that statement worked. Everyone immediately fell silent. After a five-second pause, they burst into collective, roaring laughter.

Alas, Angeliya was truly put through the wringer that time!

Even Zhong Shenxiu, who had remained silent until now, had a slight smile playing on his lips, thinking to himself: "Tie Qi"? What an appropriate term!

After the laughter subsided, the relationships between them grew even closer! It seemed that having a few incidents like this occasionally served as an excellent team-bonding agent!

Days passed quickly. In these few days, everyone grew closer, frequently engaging in banter. Although Xibei'er had only recently joined the "Misty Mercenary Group," after these days together, she had fully integrated into this large family. Like Leng Xiangxue, she had traveled a long way to study in the "Winter Moon Empire," so in a strict sense, they could be considered natives of the same region.

On this day, the academy the group was heading to was the "Yamei Magic and Martial Arts Academy"!

The "Yamei Magic and Martial Arts Academy" ranking second among the many magic and martial arts academies in the "Winter Moon Empire" spoke volumes about its overall strength! A large portion of the "Winter Moon Empire's" generals were alumni of this academy. There was a fitting saying: once you enter the "Yamei Magic and Martial Arts Academy," your future is absolutely bright!

The "Yamei Magic and Martial Arts Academy" prided itself on being people-oriented and valuing talent. As long as you possessed the ability, you could attend classes even without paying a single coin. If your performance was truly exceptional, the academy would even cover all your expenses!

Of course, one undeniable fact remained: the "Yamei Magic and Martial Arts Academy" also maintained a "Nobles' Class." After all, this was the "Capital City," and many members of the royal family were simply untouchable! When they sent their children here, they needed to save face. Therefore, not every student at the "Yamei Magic and Martial Arts Academy" had gotten in through legitimate examination!

Lois had secured her place through her father's status. However, her good friend Elisa was different; she had been accepted purely on her own merit! The children of the "Five Great Families" were all exceptionally talented, which was inseparable from the superior education they received from childhood and the unique techniques they learned within their clans!

As the "Royal Tournament" approached ever closer, most of the major academies had stopped holding regular classes. Students were given complete freedom over their schedules.

Currently, Lois and Elisa were walking out of the school gates, accompanied by a man. This man was Elisa’s third brother—Ander! Ander had just returned from a business trip out of town and, knowing Elisa’s competition was imminent, hadn't even bothered to go home first before rushing here to see her and bring her many gifts.

"Third Brother, now that you're back, do you have to leave again?" Elisa inquired.

"That’s still hard to say! Third Brother will try his best to stay until after your competition," Ander replied.

Since the establishment of the "Dark Merchant Guild," the business of their "Tashila Family" had suffered a severe blow. Many shops dealing with weapons and armor had to pivot to other trades. This was precisely why Ander was so busy, needing to handle so many affairs himself!

Elisa smiled, about to say something, when her expression suddenly stiffened. Her eyes fixed straight ahead, and she uttered in surprise, "Huh? Why are they here?"

Ander followed Elisa's gaze and his body instantly tensed. He recognized a few of the people approaching. Never mind the others, he had a vivid memory of Robin and Zhong Shenxiu. It was at the auction house where they had competed against him for the "Black Raven Stone," which Robin ultimately acquired for six hundred million diamond coins!

Good heavens, why would these two children appear here?

[Ti: Dear reader, the current chapter has reached the last page of this book]