After draining the Blood Wine in one gulp, Hu Qianqiu slammed the bowl and plate he held heavily onto the ground, declaring fiercely, "If I violate my oath, let my Iron Tiger Clan suffer the same fate as this dish!"

Hu Qianqiu exerted immense force, yet the quality of the dishware was exceptional. With a crisp thwack, it shot deep into the earth, disappearing without a trace, leaving behind only a bottomless pit.

Whether it truly shattered or not, Zong Shou couldn't discern, nor did he feel comfortable digging it out to check.

The Blood Pact concluded, Hu Qianqiu’s gaze, now alight with killing intent, shifted to the nearby Zong Ling and Zong Yuan, who were tightly bound. His murderous aura was chilling. "How does the Young Lord plan to deal with these two? Although Zong Ling and Zong Yuan are the Young Lord's cousins, if you ask me, the Young Lord should be a bit more ruthless. Keeping these two wolf cubs does no good; it’s better to slaughter them and set a precedent!"

Zong Ling stared blankly, all hope utterly drained from his eyes. Zong Yuan, however, merely snorted—a dismissive peh—and remained silent. His expression was unchanged; even knowing death might claim him in the next moment, his resolve showed no tremor.

Zong Shou let out a soft laugh. "Uncle Hu, our Celestial Fox Clan possesses innate abilities. It is rumored that once martial arts and spiritual techniques reach a certain level, kin can achieve a form of telepathic connection? Zong Ling's father is deceased, but his mother seems to be a Spirit Master of the Returning-to-Life Realm. You can find a place to hold Zong Ling; the time for dealing with him is not yet right."

Hu Qianqiu frowned, pondering deeply, and then let out a slightly disgruntled sigh, clearly unwilling to concede. He then looked over again, brimming with expectation.

Zong Shou understood his meaning but decisively shook his head. His current cultivation was decent, allowing him to barely sense the life and death of his closest kin. He knew that Zong Weiran was still alive and well, currently residing within the Sinking Cloud Sea.

However, such things could not be spoken carelessly. He did not wish to chop Zong Weiran down as a demon once he emerged. Just as this thought crossed his mind, his heart involuntarily gave a sudden thump, palpitating violently.

Hu Qianqiu seemed slightly disappointed, then pressed on, "What about Zong Yuan, then? This man’s entire immediate family..."

"...is nearly wiped out."

Zong Shou snapped back to attention and smiled again, an innocent, guileless expression on his face. "Uncle Hu, I apologize. I must keep this one. My Zong Clan members are few; only a single twig remains. Killing him off now would be too great a pity; my Father King would surely fault me. I intend to keep this fellow and cultivate him well..."

"This one can't be killed, and that one can't be killed... The Young Lord is truly dull," Hu Qianqiu grumbled heavily, utterly frustrated. Yet, he patiently reminded him, "This Zong Yuan, his disposition is indeed decent. Among so many of your Celestial Fox Clan, he is the only one who slightly catches my eye; he shows a trace of the bearing of a young sovereign. However, this man has been thoroughly indoctrinated and will not easily betray his master. The Young Lord must be wary!"

Seeing Zong Shou nod, indicating he understood, Hu Qianqiu finally rose to his full height. "The situation in the mountain city has been odd lately; I cannot linger here. I, Hu Qianqiu, shall return immediately and certainly watch over the Qiantian Mountain for the Young Lord. But the Young Lord is traveling alone, and I worry. I shall have my son, Zhongyuan, accompany you. I will take your two servants along with me. If the Young Lord has any final instructions for them, please make them quick and don't dawdle. Also," his granddaughter glanced meaningfully at Chu Xue, who was hiding nearby, and Hu Qianqiu sighed faintly, "I must trouble the Young Lord to look after her as well!"

Seeing Hu Qianqiu finish speaking, he vaulted off the Cloud-Flipping Chariot, mounted an enormous Gale-Steed, and galloped off into the distance to wait. Hu Zhongyuan chuckled, also stepping aside, grabbing Zong Ling—whose complexion had slightly recovered—and proceeding to give him a vicious beating!

He had been harshly beaten by his own father earlier and dared not resent Hu Qianqiu or Zong Shou; naturally, he sought someone to vent on. Since Zong Ling had caused him public humiliation, he certainly couldn't be let off. As for being assigned by his father to stay by the Young Lord’s side, he paid that no mind whatsoever.

Zong Shou inwardly praised the Iron Tiger Patriarch; beneath that rough and open demeanor lay a careful and perceptive mind. He hadn't anticipated that Hu Qianqiu was Chu Xue’s maternal grandfather. No wonder Chu Xue’s state earlier had seemed slightly off.

He beckoned Yin Yang and Lian Fan over. They understood and approached the carriage together. Zong Shou first looked at Lian Fan, handing him a piece of green silk inscribed with many characters, saying, "Lian Fan, your aptitude is only average; you won't master profound martial ways. I have little to teach you. However, you are steady-tempered, hardworking, and tenacious; I have a technique here, the Mountain Piling Art, perfectly suited for someone like you. If you practice diligently every day without fail, you can accumulate strength like a mountain. Even if your future achievements fall short of the geniuses, you can still prove yourself a Heaven-Rank Martial Ancestor!"

Lian Fan’s temperament was already one that accepted fortune and disgrace with equanimity. He showed no disappointment upon hearing the first few sentences. Nor did he display wild joy at Zong Shou's subsequent words. Instead, gratitude shone in his eyes, and he accepted the silk cloth with a solemn expression.

Zong Shou then smiled toward Yin Yang. "Uncle Yin, your natural talent is outstanding, and you hail from a famous lineage, possessing your own martial inheritance. That Blazing Heaven Absolute Flame Saber is no less potent than the Cloud Soaring Divine Annihilation Sword of the Lingyun Sect. I have nothing to offer you, Uncle, except assistance in rapidly grasping the essence of intent and momentum!"

As his voice fell, Zong Shou casually summoned a nearby branch into his hand.

Then, a ball of flame ignited within his palm. It neither died out nor appeared fiercely blazing; it simply burned. In mere moments, the branch was reduced to charcoal, which he handed to Yin Yang: "Take this, Uncle Yin. Perhaps it will offer you some enlightenment in the future. I entrust the Qiantian Mountain to you two!"

Yin Yang raised an eyebrow and accepted the object with equal reverence. At that moment, it looked no different from a piece of charred wood. However, he vaguely felt that if his martial path were ever obstructed, this charcoal might be the key to his breakthrough. Silently putting it away, Yin Yang then bowed deeply to Zong Shou, conveying his loyalty without uttering a word.

Zong Shou gave a few more brief instructions until Hu Qianqiu grew impatient and called out loudly, only then letting the pair depart.

Once Yin Yang and Lian Fan had mounted their horses, Hu Qianqiu clasped his hands behind his back, let out another hearty laugh, and declared, "In five months, Hu Qianqiu will await the Young Lord at Qiantian Mountain to inherit the great position! The Young Lord's Sword Dao is spiritually attuned, surpassing the Cloud Realm. I only hope, in my lifetime, to see the Young Lord sweep across the Eastern Border and reign supreme across the Cloud Continent!"

His voice was bold and resounded across the wilderness. He then led the way, and the entire contingent, riding dozens of Gale-Steeds, departed in a grand procession, kicking up a cloud of dust that vanished in a short while.

Sweep across the Eastern Border, reign supreme across the Cloud Continent? He had heard this said to him by more than one person already.

Zong Shou gave a dry laugh, offering no comment, and extended his wine cup to the side. Xuan Yuan Yiren glared at him fiercely upon seeing this, but still obediently refilled his cup.

After Zong Shou drained the cup once more, Xuan Yuan Yiren bit her lip with her ivory teeth. "Has the Young Lord been making a spectacle of me these past few days? With your abilities, perhaps ten Xuan Yuan Yirens wouldn't even be a match for you, right? And yet you dared to say you would protect me completely—doesn't that sound utterly laughable?"

"How could that be?"

Regarding this matter, Zong Shou was completely justified. "I, Zong Shou, never concealed anything from you; it was you, Yiren, who refused to believe me. What did you say at the time? 'You still have the mood to joke now'—was that what you said?"

Xuan Yuan Yiren ground her teeth slightly and let out a small huff. She fetched a clean cloth and began gently bandaging the wound on Zong Shou’s hand. Her movements were so delicate and meticulous that Zong Shou was momentarily stunned.

Her voice softened too. "It was my fault, alright, I shouldn't have doubted you! But in your eyes, is my Yiren that insignificant? Am I not worth a few extra words of explanation from you?"

Her voice was like a silver bell, soft and sweet, incredibly pleasant, making one's bones feel weak. Zong Shou felt half his bones turn to jelly and his scalp tingle. His nature was such that he yielded to softness but resisted hardness.

On this topic, he was undeniably in the wrong. But his emotions at the time had been truly complex; he had genuinely wanted to shake this girl off. Feeling slightly awkward, Zong Shou gave a dry cough. "I forgot."

He had intended to offer a cascade of flowery words, perhaps saying he feared she would leave if she knew the truth, because he couldn't bear to let her go. But after careful consideration, he decided against it. It was better to use this simple sentence than a thousand lies. After all, he simply lacked romantic sensibility.

Though he loved chatting with girls—discussing everything from the sky to the earth, talking about life's aspirations—he usually managed to drive them away in the process.

Xuan Yuan Yiren’s eyes grew slightly red, but she was a straightforward woman and showed no sign of being wronged.

She merely tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and said calmly, "If the Young Lord dislikes me, you could actually annul the engagement. Xuan Yuan Yiren will not pester you any further. The Young Lord's Sword Dao is spiritually attuned, and your future is limitless; you will surely find someone worthy of you, someone who will truly bring you joy."

Zong Shou, however, felt increasingly uneasy as he listened, a sour feeling rising in his gut. He realized that if he broke the engagement now, he would likely be labeled as someone who ruined a woman and abandoned her.

He instinctively touched his forehead, feeling a severe headache, and waved his hand. "What nonsense are you thinking? When did I ever say I wanted to annul the engagement?" Just as he prepared to steer the conversation elsewhere, he heard Xuan Yuan Yiren softly say, "Oh," her beautiful eyes sparkling as she looked over. "Since you aren't breaking the engagement, when will the Young Lord come to Xuan Mountain City to meet my father?"

Zong Shou paused again. How had the conversation twisted back to this point? Recalling the situation carefully, he sensed something was amiss. He stole another glance at her, noticing a faint trace of sly cunning flicker across Xuan Yuan Yiren's eyes. Zong Shou couldn't help but smile wryly, then his heart gave a nudge, and he feigned hesitation. "Perhaps not ideal? I hear your mother dislikes me greatly, and City Lord Xuan Yuan currently faces much opposition. Furthermore, the Danquan Sect and the Shangxiao Sect are all quite troublesome. Yiren, why don't we elope instead? Just as you suggested earlier, we can leave the Eastern Cloud Continent together—wouldn't that be much freer?"

Xuan Yuan Yiren immediately frowned. "How could we do that? While leaving the Eastern Cloud Continent would help us avoid these troubles, where would that leave my parents? As a child, how could I defy my parents so? And there is the saying: 'While parents are alive, do not travel far'!"

Zong Shou looked back at her, his expression half-smile, half-questioning. Xuan Yuan Yiren’s face instantly flushed red as she explained, "I never intended to leave the Eastern Cloud Continent for too long at that time. I only thought that if we left for a period, we could later concoct a lie, say that what’s done is done, and then my parents and masters wouldn't have a choice but to agree..."