Chapter 111.2
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
Upon arrival at the square, the three were guided by Fan Xiangnan through a special passage to the lounge at the rear of the main banquet hall, where they settled down to await the start of the evening’s banquet.
The lounge was equipped with various entertainment facilities and several large screens connecting to various celebration screens in the square outside, allowing them to see the festive scenes of the people celebrating the holiday, which was very convenient.
The room was filled with soothing, light-hearted music, and everyone’s mood relaxed as they each found something they liked to pass the time. The atmosphere was very harmonious and pleasant.
Later, members of other families began to arrive, and family members from each family would come over specifically to greet Gu Yan’an upon learning of her arrival.
Following tradition, Gu Yan’an stayed to chat with several ladies from prominent families to foster relationships. Chu Yan and Qiao Zhiya felt out of place among the group of men and women, so they quickly found an excuse to leave the lounge and headed to the partially open activity room outside.
The young children from the other families also couldn’t bear the “plastic diplomacy” atmosphere in the lounges and ran out one after another to find some peace and quiet.
Qiao Zhiya immediately spotted Xiang Kun, dressed in a white suit, sitting alone in a corner flipping through an electronic book, so he walked over.
Chu Yan, of course, also noticed Xiang Kun sitting in the corner. Seeing Qiao Zhiya naturally walking over, he hesitated for a moment before diverting his steps to join Yuan Xiu, who was chatting with others.
“What are you reading?” Qiao Zhiya asked softly as he sat down next to Xiang Kun.
Xiang Kun snapped out of his thoughts and turned to see Qiao Zhiya approaching. He naturally handed over the electronic book, saying, “I’m studying the spiritual power induction device. Master mentioned your idea to me, and I remembered that we had some books on this topic at home, so I exported them to take a look.”
Qiao Zhiya glanced at the electronic book, which contained some research notes and the like. He knew that this should be internal study material of the Xiang family, so he politely didn’t look much and shifted his gaze to Xiang Kun’s face, smiling as he asked, “Have you made any progress? This isn’t my strong suit.”
“Rare to see you struggle with something,” Xiang Kun teased, taking back the electronic book and flipping through a few pages, saying, “I have a bit of a clue now, but it’s not certain yet. I need to look into it further.”
As he moved, the communicator on his wrist slipped out of his jacket sleeve, revealing a large Xiang family crest that gleamed with a discreet and luxurious light in the lamplight. Qiao Zhiya paused for a moment, then looked up at Xiang Kun’s face.
There were some unwritten rules among the Four Great Families, such as that the personal items used by the next generation’s heirs would be the best among their peers. The criteria for judging the quality of these items were the size and color of the family crest on them.
The Chu family scoffed at this rule, but the Xiang, Wei, and Ning families strictly adhered to it.
He remembered that previously, only Xiang Hui could wear the family crest with a golden shimmer like this, but now Xiang Hui was still in the military detention center, so Xiang Kun…
Sensing his gaze, Xiang Kun raised his wrist and turned his communicator, then smiled at him, saying, “Even if Dage recovers, he won’t be able to reclaim his position as the heir. So I have to take that position, or else how will Dage live in the Xiang family in the future?”
Internal struggles within large families always existed, even between the united previous generation, there would still be some competition for family interests. In this generation, besides him, whoever inherited the Xiang family, Xiang Hui, this “criminal” who brought disgrace to the family, would not have a good result. So Xiang Kun had to take that position, a position he once admired but now felt extremely stifling.
Qiao Zhiya’s eyes showed some sadness. He could tell that Xiang Kun didn’t like the heavy burden of being the heir.
“But the situation isn’t so bad. Now the Xiang family doesn’t need to compete with the Chu family anymore. We just need to focus on our own development, and managing it should be much easier.” Xiang Kun changed the subject, his tone lightening up. He patted Qiao Zhiya’s shoulder with a light touch and said, “So thank you.”
Although it was just a light pat, Qiao Zhiya suddenly felt his heart pounding, and then the power in the magic pool began to boil faintly. He frowned, placing his hand on his forehead.
Xiang Kun quickly withdrew his hand, frowning and asking, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing… Sorry for the inconvenience. I’ll go to the restroom for a moment.” Qiao Zhiya shook his head, secretly taking a deep breath to suppress the sudden palpitation, then hurriedly got up and walked towards the restroom.
Xiang Kun watched him leave, still somewhat worried. He looked around the activity room and then got up to go to Chu Yan.
After washing his face with cold water, he felt his heartbeat calmed down, and the boiling feeling of his magic pool also subsided. Still, his body temperature seemed a little high.
Qiao Zhiya looked up at himself in the mirror, feeling something was wrong, but he couldn’t pinpoint what. He then shook his head, took out a handkerchief and wiped his face.
“What happened?”
A familiar voice suddenly sounded from the door. Chu Rong stepped in, wearing a suit similar to his style. However, his hair was rather messy – he probably hurried over.
Qiao Zhiya froze, busy shaking his head to indicate that he was okay. Then, he turned to meet the taller man’s eye and asked, “How did you find me? Aren’t you busy?”
“I’m not busy for the time being. Plus, Fan Xiangnan will help me deal with them.” Chu Rong replied. Seeing that his face was red, he raised his hand and touched it, and found that it was hot. With a frown, he bent over, putting his forehead against Qiao Zhiya’s.
“You’re feverish,” he commented.
“The heating is way too high here.” Qiao Zhiya made a random excuse and tip-toed to reach Chu Rong’s head, tidying it up. He spread his magic, but it was too thin to be detected. With a smile, he asked, “Can you stay with me until dinner? “
Chu Rong reached out and held his hand, glancing at his outfit. Although his clothes were similar in style to Chu Rong’s, they were a three-piece suit with a vest. Chu Rong slightly relaxed his furrowed brows, nodding in agreement, “I’ll accompany you. Let’s go back to the lounge.”
Qiao Zhiya nodded happily and obediently followed him outside.
Back in the lounge, Qiao Zhiya’s flushed face gradually subsided, finally putting Chu Rong’s worries to rest. Concerned that he might still feel warm, Chu Rong had him take off the small vest, then stayed by his side, chatting and having snacks, waiting for the formal start of the banquet.
However, the tranquility was short-lived. Lin Zhen suddenly came over, saying there was a problem with the patrol arrangement on the square.
Chu Rong frowned and had to get up, apologizing and giving Qiao Zhiya a quick kiss before hurriedly leaving to attend to the matter.
Once he left, Qiao Zhiya immediately put the small vest back on and rubbed his hands. Oddly, after the sudden fever, he now felt a faint chill creeping in. Was the heating system unstable?
He glanced doubtfully at the thermostat on the ceiling, then moved his ears. Considering that everyone was busy today, he silently suppressed this doubt.
Chu Rong remained busy until just before the start of the banquet. In the meantime, Lin Zhen sent a message saying there was a conflict among the crowd on the square, delaying Chu Rong further.
At six o’clock, the banquet in the central hall of the square began as scheduled. Qiao Zhiya finally saw Chu Rong again, as well as the busier Chu Huai and the now-Emperor An Tyn and accompanying Princess An Leen.
Not having seen her for over a year, An Leen had changed significantly. She exuded a much calmer and gentler aura, with her hair down and dressed simply and elegantly, like a polished gem radiating a comforting and amiable beauty.
Noticing his gaze, An Leen turned her head and gave him a friendly smile, nodding gently at him.
Qiao Zhiya’s ears twitched as he returned her smile, but his view was suddenly blocked as Chu Rong stepped forward.
On the other side, Chu Yan, who had witnessed the scene, couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Then, Gu Yan’an lightly poked him, indicating the media filming, so Chu Yan reluctantly adjusted his mood, putting on a social smile, which caused Xiang Kun behind him to furrow his brows slightly, showing his disdain.
The banquet proceeded smoothly in a harmonious and courteous atmosphere. Qiao Zhiya, following Chu Rong and the guests of the Empire, drank a little wine. The lingering cold sensation quickly disappeared, replaced by increasing warmth.
“Not feeling well?” Chu Rong noticed his constant adjustment of his tie, glanced at the vest he was wearing but didn’t have on before, and held his hand, finding his palm sweaty. He frowned, asking, “Feeling very hot?”
Qiao Zhiya’s face was already red, and his eyes were moist. He nodded slightly at Chu Rong’s question and gestured to the glass of wine in front of him, saying softly, “I’m not good at drinking…” Dwarves were known for their love of alcohol, but he was an exception. He had never been accustomed to the taste of alcohol, just like his elven father.
Chu Rong hadn’t expected him to be unable to handle even the lowest-alcohol fruit wine. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, then retrieved a box of green fruit from the spatial button and opened it, saying, “Have some of this. It helps with hangovers.”
Qiao Zhiya nodded and obediently ate the green fruit.
The warmth came in waves. After the green fruit was swallowed, Qiao Zhiya’s complexion returned to normal in no time. Chu Rong relaxed his furrowed brows, called a waiter to replace his wine with water, and unbuttoned his jacket.
An Leen, who was directly facing them, saw their interaction, and suddenly let out a shallow sigh.
“What’s wrong?” Anton noticed her expression and asked softly.
An Leen shook her head, looking at her increasingly stable brother. She replied, “Just feeling a bit emotional… Ge, thank you for giving me the right to choose my marriage.”
After experiencing true love, a simple political marriage was absolute torture for her.
An Tyn also glanced at Chu Rong and Qiao Zhiya opposite them, pausing his gaze on Chu Rong’s completely different, gentle expression than usual. He reached under the table, holding An Leen’s hand, and smiled, saying, “You deserve the best.”
“Thank you,” An Leen replied with a gentle smile, squeezing his hand gently in return.
The evening banquet ended smoothly at seven o’clock. After chatting and digesting for a while in the rest area, everyone changed their clothes. Once the staff arranged the venue for the celebration activities, the leaders and dignitaries moved to the square outside the banquet hall to give official speeches and mingle with the people.
During this segment, Qiao Zhiya was originally supposed to stand by Chu Rong’s side as a background figure. However, his mind was preoccupied with Gu Yan’an, who was heavily pregnant. His fidgeting and small gestures went unnoticed, completely ignoring the official news cameras that approached them.
On the screens of the Star Network and various linked event squares, the people watched with amusement as Qiao Zhiya, who stood beside Chu Rong, occasionally glanced at Gu Yan’an. He was busy handing over shawls or water, seeming to enjoy himself immensely.
Among the solemn and serious dignitaries, having such an “oddity” mixed in brought a festive atmosphere almost instantly. Marshal Chu, who kept holding his hand to prevent him from running over to Gu Yan’an, had a dark expression throughout, somewhat disrupting the atmosphere.
With the starry sky overhead, cheerful music, and the laughter of the people, the festival atmosphere enveloped everyone. Colorful ribbons and hot air balloons filled every corner of the square. The leaders of the two countries stood on the platform at the highest level of the square, facing the people and expressing hopes for the coming year.
Everything was as beautiful as a dream, and everyone was intoxicated by it, momentarily forgetting the dirty schemes hidden beneath the peace.
On a mining planet outside the asteroid belt, Qiao Yi completed the last stroke of the teleportation array, with a slight furrow between his eyebrows.
Despite his protests, Mi Lai held his hand and sent her magic over.
“Mi Lai,” Qiao Yi tried to stop her by reaching for her hand.
“Don’t move. I don’t want our baby to be left behind. You first,” Mi Lai insisted, forcefully sending her magic over. She looked at the barren environment of the asteroid, her eyes slightly red. “Did our baby live in a place like this when he first came over? Without magic, proper food, or water, how could he survive, especially when he’s just come of age?”
They had followed Qiao Zhiya’s aura to teleport out, but the asteroid belt was too long, and they had spent considerable effort to escape. However, they hadn’t anticipated the difficulties beyond that. There was no magic outside the “boundary,” and they had very few magic stones with them. Without magical replenishment, they were almost at a dead end.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you all return home safely,” Qiao Yi hugged her, gently stroking her hair.
Mi Lai nodded, took a deep breath to suppress her weakness, and looked at the magic array on the ground. “Is it ready?”
Qiao Yi nodded and walked into the array first.
Mi Lai was determined as she also stepped into the array and activated it, inputting her magic.
Meanwhile, Qiao Yi didn’t even blink as he cut his wrist and drew a blood teleportation array in the air with his blood.
The night breeze blew, causing the stone grass in the corner to sway. Sensing a faintly familiar gentle aura, it tentatively extended its influence. Inside the array, Qiao Yi gently closed his eyes, his long hair fluttering in the night breeze, and the pattern on his flowing robe seemed to emit a faint glow.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Upon arrival at the square, the three were guided by Fan Xiangnan through a special passage to the lounge at the rear of the main banquet hall, where they settled down to await the start of the evening’s banquet.
The lounge was equipped with various entertainment facilities and several large screens connecting to various celebration screens in the square outside, allowing them to see the festive scenes of the people celebrating the holiday, which was very convenient.
The room was filled with soothing, light-hearted music, and everyone’s mood relaxed as they each found something they liked to pass the time. The atmosphere was very harmonious and pleasant.
Later, members of other families began to arrive, and family members from each family would come over specifically to greet Gu Yan’an upon learning of her arrival.
Following tradition, Gu Yan’an stayed to chat with several ladies from prominent families to foster relationships. Chu Yan and Qiao Zhiya felt out of place among the group of men and women, so they quickly found an excuse to leave the lounge and headed to the partially open activity room outside.
The young children from the other families also couldn’t bear the “plastic diplomacy” atmosphere in the lounges and ran out one after another to find some peace and quiet.
Qiao Zhiya immediately spotted Xiang Kun, dressed in a white suit, sitting alone in a corner flipping through an electronic book, so he walked over.
Chu Yan, of course, also noticed Xiang Kun sitting in the corner. Seeing Qiao Zhiya naturally walking over, he hesitated for a moment before diverting his steps to join Yuan Xiu, who was chatting with others.
“What are you reading?” Qiao Zhiya asked softly as he sat down next to Xiang Kun.
Xiang Kun snapped out of his thoughts and turned to see Qiao Zhiya approaching. He naturally handed over the electronic book, saying, “I’m studying the spiritual power induction device. Master mentioned your idea to me, and I remembered that we had some books on this topic at home, so I exported them to take a look.”
Qiao Zhiya glanced at the electronic book, which contained some research notes and the like. He knew that this should be internal study material of the Xiang family, so he politely didn’t look much and shifted his gaze to Xiang Kun’s face, smiling as he asked, “Have you made any progress? This isn’t my strong suit.”
“Rare to see you struggle with something,” Xiang Kun teased, taking back the electronic book and flipping through a few pages, saying, “I have a bit of a clue now, but it’s not certain yet. I need to look into it further.”
As he moved, the communicator on his wrist slipped out of his jacket sleeve, revealing a large Xiang family crest that gleamed with a discreet and luxurious light in the lamplight. Qiao Zhiya paused for a moment, then looked up at Xiang Kun’s face.
There were some unwritten rules among the Four Great Families, such as that the personal items used by the next generation’s heirs would be the best among their peers. The criteria for judging the quality of these items were the size and color of the family crest on them.
The Chu family scoffed at this rule, but the Xiang, Wei, and Ning families strictly adhered to it.
He remembered that previously, only Xiang Hui could wear the family crest with a golden shimmer like this, but now Xiang Hui was still in the military detention center, so Xiang Kun…
Sensing his gaze, Xiang Kun raised his wrist and turned his communicator, then smiled at him, saying, “Even if Dage recovers, he won’t be able to reclaim his position as the heir. So I have to take that position, or else how will Dage live in the Xiang family in the future?”
Internal struggles within large families always existed, even between the united previous generation, there would still be some competition for family interests. In this generation, besides him, whoever inherited the Xiang family, Xiang Hui, this “criminal” who brought disgrace to the family, would not have a good result. So Xiang Kun had to take that position, a position he once admired but now felt extremely stifling.
Qiao Zhiya’s eyes showed some sadness. He could tell that Xiang Kun didn’t like the heavy burden of being the heir.
“But the situation isn’t so bad. Now the Xiang family doesn’t need to compete with the Chu family anymore. We just need to focus on our own development, and managing it should be much easier.” Xiang Kun changed the subject, his tone lightening up. He patted Qiao Zhiya’s shoulder with a light touch and said, “So thank you.”
Although it was just a light pat, Qiao Zhiya suddenly felt his heart pounding, and then the power in the magic pool began to boil faintly. He frowned, placing his hand on his forehead.
Xiang Kun quickly withdrew his hand, frowning and asking, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing… Sorry for the inconvenience. I’ll go to the restroom for a moment.” Qiao Zhiya shook his head, secretly taking a deep breath to suppress the sudden palpitation, then hurriedly got up and walked towards the restroom.
Xiang Kun watched him leave, still somewhat worried. He looked around the activity room and then got up to go to Chu Yan.
After washing his face with cold water, he felt his heartbeat calmed down, and the boiling feeling of his magic pool also subsided. Still, his body temperature seemed a little high.
Qiao Zhiya looked up at himself in the mirror, feeling something was wrong, but he couldn’t pinpoint what. He then shook his head, took out a handkerchief and wiped his face.
“What happened?”
A familiar voice suddenly sounded from the door. Chu Rong stepped in, wearing a suit similar to his style. However, his hair was rather messy – he probably hurried over.
Qiao Zhiya froze, busy shaking his head to indicate that he was okay. Then, he turned to meet the taller man’s eye and asked, “How did you find me? Aren’t you busy?”
“I’m not busy for the time being. Plus, Fan Xiangnan will help me deal with them.” Chu Rong replied. Seeing that his face was red, he raised his hand and touched it, and found that it was hot. With a frown, he bent over, putting his forehead against Qiao Zhiya’s.
“You’re feverish,” he commented.
“The heating is way too high here.” Qiao Zhiya made a random excuse and tip-toed to reach Chu Rong’s head, tidying it up. He spread his magic, but it was too thin to be detected. With a smile, he asked, “Can you stay with me until dinner? “
Chu Rong reached out and held his hand, glancing at his outfit. Although his clothes were similar in style to Chu Rong’s, they were a three-piece suit with a vest. Chu Rong slightly relaxed his furrowed brows, nodding in agreement, “I’ll accompany you. Let’s go back to the lounge.”
Qiao Zhiya nodded happily and obediently followed him outside.
Back in the lounge, Qiao Zhiya’s flushed face gradually subsided, finally putting Chu Rong’s worries to rest. Concerned that he might still feel warm, Chu Rong had him take off the small vest, then stayed by his side, chatting and having snacks, waiting for the formal start of the banquet.
However, the tranquility was short-lived. Lin Zhen suddenly came over, saying there was a problem with the patrol arrangement on the square.
Chu Rong frowned and had to get up, apologizing and giving Qiao Zhiya a quick kiss before hurriedly leaving to attend to the matter.
Once he left, Qiao Zhiya immediately put the small vest back on and rubbed his hands. Oddly, after the sudden fever, he now felt a faint chill creeping in. Was the heating system unstable?
He glanced doubtfully at the thermostat on the ceiling, then moved his ears. Considering that everyone was busy today, he silently suppressed this doubt.
Chu Rong remained busy until just before the start of the banquet. In the meantime, Lin Zhen sent a message saying there was a conflict among the crowd on the square, delaying Chu Rong further.
At six o’clock, the banquet in the central hall of the square began as scheduled. Qiao Zhiya finally saw Chu Rong again, as well as the busier Chu Huai and the now-Emperor An Tyn and accompanying Princess An Leen.
Not having seen her for over a year, An Leen had changed significantly. She exuded a much calmer and gentler aura, with her hair down and dressed simply and elegantly, like a polished gem radiating a comforting and amiable beauty.
Noticing his gaze, An Leen turned her head and gave him a friendly smile, nodding gently at him.
Qiao Zhiya’s ears twitched as he returned her smile, but his view was suddenly blocked as Chu Rong stepped forward.
On the other side, Chu Yan, who had witnessed the scene, couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Then, Gu Yan’an lightly poked him, indicating the media filming, so Chu Yan reluctantly adjusted his mood, putting on a social smile, which caused Xiang Kun behind him to furrow his brows slightly, showing his disdain.
The banquet proceeded smoothly in a harmonious and courteous atmosphere. Qiao Zhiya, following Chu Rong and the guests of the Empire, drank a little wine. The lingering cold sensation quickly disappeared, replaced by increasing warmth.
“Not feeling well?” Chu Rong noticed his constant adjustment of his tie, glanced at the vest he was wearing but didn’t have on before, and held his hand, finding his palm sweaty. He frowned, asking, “Feeling very hot?”
Qiao Zhiya’s face was already red, and his eyes were moist. He nodded slightly at Chu Rong’s question and gestured to the glass of wine in front of him, saying softly, “I’m not good at drinking…” Dwarves were known for their love of alcohol, but he was an exception. He had never been accustomed to the taste of alcohol, just like his elven father.
Chu Rong hadn’t expected him to be unable to handle even the lowest-alcohol fruit wine. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, then retrieved a box of green fruit from the spatial button and opened it, saying, “Have some of this. It helps with hangovers.”
Qiao Zhiya nodded and obediently ate the green fruit.
The warmth came in waves. After the green fruit was swallowed, Qiao Zhiya’s complexion returned to normal in no time. Chu Rong relaxed his furrowed brows, called a waiter to replace his wine with water, and unbuttoned his jacket.
An Leen, who was directly facing them, saw their interaction, and suddenly let out a shallow sigh.
“What’s wrong?” Anton noticed her expression and asked softly.
An Leen shook her head, looking at her increasingly stable brother. She replied, “Just feeling a bit emotional… Ge, thank you for giving me the right to choose my marriage.”
After experiencing true love, a simple political marriage was absolute torture for her.
An Tyn also glanced at Chu Rong and Qiao Zhiya opposite them, pausing his gaze on Chu Rong’s completely different, gentle expression than usual. He reached under the table, holding An Leen’s hand, and smiled, saying, “You deserve the best.”
“Thank you,” An Leen replied with a gentle smile, squeezing his hand gently in return.
The evening banquet ended smoothly at seven o’clock. After chatting and digesting for a while in the rest area, everyone changed their clothes. Once the staff arranged the venue for the celebration activities, the leaders and dignitaries moved to the square outside the banquet hall to give official speeches and mingle with the people.
During this segment, Qiao Zhiya was originally supposed to stand by Chu Rong’s side as a background figure. However, his mind was preoccupied with Gu Yan’an, who was heavily pregnant. His fidgeting and small gestures went unnoticed, completely ignoring the official news cameras that approached them.
On the screens of the Star Network and various linked event squares, the people watched with amusement as Qiao Zhiya, who stood beside Chu Rong, occasionally glanced at Gu Yan’an. He was busy handing over shawls or water, seeming to enjoy himself immensely.
Among the solemn and serious dignitaries, having such an “oddity” mixed in brought a festive atmosphere almost instantly. Marshal Chu, who kept holding his hand to prevent him from running over to Gu Yan’an, had a dark expression throughout, somewhat disrupting the atmosphere.
With the starry sky overhead, cheerful music, and the laughter of the people, the festival atmosphere enveloped everyone. Colorful ribbons and hot air balloons filled every corner of the square. The leaders of the two countries stood on the platform at the highest level of the square, facing the people and expressing hopes for the coming year.
Everything was as beautiful as a dream, and everyone was intoxicated by it, momentarily forgetting the dirty schemes hidden beneath the peace.
On a mining planet outside the asteroid belt, Qiao Yi completed the last stroke of the teleportation array, with a slight furrow between his eyebrows.
Despite his protests, Mi Lai held his hand and sent her magic over.
“Mi Lai,” Qiao Yi tried to stop her by reaching for her hand.
“Don’t move. I don’t want our baby to be left behind. You first,” Mi Lai insisted, forcefully sending her magic over. She looked at the barren environment of the asteroid, her eyes slightly red. “Did our baby live in a place like this when he first came over? Without magic, proper food, or water, how could he survive, especially when he’s just come of age?”
They had followed Qiao Zhiya’s aura to teleport out, but the asteroid belt was too long, and they had spent considerable effort to escape. However, they hadn’t anticipated the difficulties beyond that. There was no magic outside the “boundary,” and they had very few magic stones with them. Without magical replenishment, they were almost at a dead end.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you all return home safely,” Qiao Yi hugged her, gently stroking her hair.
Mi Lai nodded, took a deep breath to suppress her weakness, and looked at the magic array on the ground. “Is it ready?”
Qiao Yi nodded and walked into the array first.
Mi Lai was determined as she also stepped into the array and activated it, inputting her magic.
Meanwhile, Qiao Yi didn’t even blink as he cut his wrist and drew a blood teleportation array in the air with his blood.
The night breeze blew, causing the stone grass in the corner to sway. Sensing a faintly familiar gentle aura, it tentatively extended its influence. Inside the array, Qiao Yi gently closed his eyes, his long hair fluttering in the night breeze, and the pattern on his flowing robe seemed to emit a faint glow.
Upon arrival at the square, the three were guided by Fan Xiangnan through a special passage to the lounge at the rear of the main banquet hall, where they settled down to await the start of the evening's banquet.The lounge was equipped with various entertainment facilities and several large screens connecting to various celebration screens in the square outside, allowing them to see the festive scenes of the people celebrating the holiday, which was very convenient.The room was filled with soothing, light-hearted music, and everyone's mood relaxed as they each found something they liked to pass the time. The atmosphere was very harmonious and pleasant.Later, members of other families began to arrive, and family members from each family would come over specifically to greet Gu Yan'an upon learning of her arrival.Following tradition, Gu Yan'an stayed to chat with several ladies from prominent families to foster relationships. Chu Yan and Qiao Zhiya felt out of place among the group of men and women, so they quickly found an excuse to leave the lounge and headed to the partially open activity room outside.The young children from the other families also couldn't bear the plastic diplomacy atmosphere in the lounges and ran out one after another to find some peace and quiet.Qiao Zhiya immediately spotted Xiang Kun, dressed in a white suit, sitting alone in a corner flipping through an electronic book, so he walked over.Chu Yan, of course, also noticed Xiang Kun sitting in the corner. Seeing Qiao Zhiya naturally walking over, he hesitated for a moment before diverting his steps to join Yuan Xiu, who was chatting with others.What are you reading? Qiao Zhiya asked softly as he sat down next to Xiang Kun.Xiang Kun snapped out of his thoughts and turned to see Qiao Zhiya approaching. He naturally handed over the electronic book, saying, I'm studying the spiritual power induction device. Master mentioned your idea to me, and I remembered that we had some books on this topic at home, so I exported them to take a look.Qiao Zhiya glanced at the electronic book, which contained some research notes and the like. He knew that this should be internal study material of the Xiang family, so he politely didn't look much and shifted his gaze to Xiang Kun's face, smiling as he asked, Have you made any progress? This isn't my strong suit.Rare to see you struggle with something, Xiang Kun teased, taking back the electronic book and flipping through a few pages, saying, I have a bit of a clue now, but it's not certain yet. I need to look into it further.As he moved, the communicator on his wrist slipped out of his jacket sleeve, revealing a large Xiang family crest that gleamed with a discreet and luxurious light in the lamplight. Qiao Zhiya paused for a moment, then looked up at Xiang Kun's face.There were some unwritten rules among the Four Great Families, such as that the personal items used by the next generation's heirs would be the best among their peers. The criteria for judging the quality of these items were the size and color of the family crest on them.The Chu family scoffed at this rule, but the Xiang, Wei, and Ning families strictly adhered to it.He remembered that previously, only Xiang Hui could wear the family crest with a golden shimmer like this, but now Xiang Hui was still in the military detention center, so Xiang KunSensing his gaze, Xiang Kun raised his wrist and turned his communicator, then smiled at him, saying, Even if Dage recovers, he won't be able to reclaim his position as the heir. So I have to take that position, or else how will Dage live in the Xiang family in the future?Internal struggles within large families always existed, even between the united previous generation, there would still be some competition for family interests. In this generation, besides him, whoever inherited the Xiang family, Xiang Hui, this criminal who brought disgrace to the family, would not have a good result. So Xiang Kun had to take that position, a position he once admired but now felt extremely stifling.Qiao Zhiya's eyes showed some sadness. He could tell that Xiang Kun didn't like the heavy burden of being the heir.But the situation isn't so bad. Now the Xiang family doesn't need to compete with the Chu family anymore. We just need to focus on our own development, and managing it should be much easier. Xiang Kun changed the subject, his tone lightening up. He patted Qiao Zhiya's shoulder with a light touch and said, So thank you.Although it was just a light pat, Qiao Zhiya suddenly felt his heart pounding, and then the power in the magic pool began to boil faintly. He frowned, placing his hand on his forehead.Xiang Kun quickly withdrew his hand, frowning and asking, What's wrong with you?Nothing Sorry for the inconvenience. I'll go to the restroom for a moment. Qiao Zhiya shook his head, secretly taking a deep breath to suppress the sudden palpitation, then hurriedly got up and walked towards the restroom.Xiang Kun watched him leave, still somewhat worried. He looked around the activity room and then got up to go to Chu Yan.After washing his face with cold water, he felt his heartbeat calmed down, and the boiling feeling of his magic pool also subsided. Still, his body temperature seemed a little high.Qiao Zhiya looked up at himself in the mirror, feeling something was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint what. He then shook his head, took out a handkerchief and wiped his face.What happened?A familiar voice suddenly sounded from the door. Chu Rong stepped in, wearing a suit similar to his style. However, his hair was rather messy he probably hurried over.Qiao Zhiya froze, busy shaking his head to indicate that he was okay. Then, he turned to meet the taller man's eye and asked, How did you find me? Aren't you busy?I'm not busy for the time being. Plus, Fan Xiangnan will help me deal with them. Chu Rong replied. Seeing that his face was red, he raised his hand and touched it, and found that it was hot. With a frown, he bent over, putting his forehead against Qiao Zhiya's.You're feverish, he commented.The heating is way too high here. Qiao Zhiya made a random excuse and tip-toed to reach Chu Rong's head, tidying it up. He spread his magic, but it was too thin to be detected. With a smile, he asked, Can you stay with me until dinner? Chu Rong reached out and held his hand, glancing at his outfit. Although his clothes were similar in style to Chu Rong's, they were a three-piece suit with a vest. Chu Rong slightly relaxed his furrowed brows, nodding in agreement, I'll accompany you. Let's go back to the lounge.Qiao Zhiya nodded happily and obediently followed him outside.Back in the lounge, Qiao Zhiya's flushed face gradually subsided, finally putting Chu Rong's worries to rest. Concerned that he might still feel warm, Chu Rong had him take off the small vest, then stayed by his side, chatting and having snacks, waiting for the formal start of the banquet.However, the tranquility was short-lived. Lin Zhen suddenly came over, saying there was a problem with the patrol arrangement on the square.Chu Rong frowned and had to get up, apologizing and giving Qiao Zhiya a quick kiss before hurriedly leaving to attend to the matter.Once he left, Qiao Zhiya immediately put the small vest back on and rubbed his hands. Oddly, after the sudden fever, he now felt a faint chill creeping in. Was the heating system unstable?He glanced doubtfully at the thermostat on the ceiling, then moved his ears. Considering that everyone was busy today, he silently suppressed this doubt.Chu Rong remained busy until just before the start of the banquet. In the meantime, Lin Zhen sent a message saying there was a conflict among the crowd on the square, delaying Chu Rong further.At six o'clock, the banquet in the central hall of the square began as scheduled. Qiao Zhiya finally saw Chu Rong again, as well as the busier Chu Huai and the now-Emperor An Tyn and accompanying Princess An Leen.Not having seen her for over a year, An Leen had changed significantly. She exuded a much calmer and gentler aura, with her hair down and dressed simply and elegantly, like a polished gem radiating a comforting and amiable beauty.Noticing his gaze, An Leen turned her head and gave him a friendly smile, nodding gently at him.Qiao Zhiya's ears twitched as he returned her smile, but his view was suddenly blocked as Chu Rong stepped forward.On the other side, Chu Yan, who had witnessed the scene, couldn't help but roll his eyes. Then, Gu Yan'an lightly poked him, indicating the media filming, so Chu Yan reluctantly adjusted his mood, putting on a social smile, which caused Xiang Kun behind him to furrow his brows slightly, showing his disdain.The banquet proceeded smoothly in a harmonious and courteous atmosphere. Qiao Zhiya, following Chu Rong and the guests of the Empire, drank a little wine. The lingering cold sensation quickly disappeared, replaced by increasing warmth.Not feeling well? Chu Rong noticed his constant adjustment of his tie, glanced at the vest he was wearing but didn't have on before, and held his hand, finding his palm sweaty. He frowned, asking, Feeling very hot?Qiao Zhiya's face was already red, and his eyes were moist. He nodded slightly at Chu Rong's question and gestured to the glass of wine in front of him, saying softly, I'm not good at drinking Dwarves were known for their love of alcohol, but he was an exception. He had never been accustomed to the taste of alcohol, just like his elven father.Chu Rong hadn't expected him to be unable to handle even the lowest-alcohol fruit wine. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, then retrieved a box of green fruit from the spatial button and opened it, saying, Have some of this. It helps with hangovers.Qiao Zhiya nodded and obediently ate the green fruit.The warmth came in waves. After the green fruit was swallowed, Qiao Zhiya's complexion returned to normal in no time. Chu Rong relaxed his furrowed brows, called a waiter to replace his wine with water, and unbuttoned his jacket.An Leen, who was directly facing them, saw their interaction, and suddenly let out a shallow sigh.What's wrong? Anton noticed her expression and asked softly.An Leen shook her head, looking at her increasingly stable brother. She replied, Just feeling a bit emotional Ge, thank you for giving me the right to choose my marriage.After experiencing true love, a simple political marriage was absolute torture for her.An Tyn also glanced at Chu Rong and Qiao Zhiya opposite them, pausing his gaze on Chu Rong's completely different, gentle expression than usual. He reached under the table, holding An Leen's hand, and smiled, saying, You deserve the best.Thank you, An Leen replied with a gentle smile, squeezing his hand gently in return.The evening banquet ended smoothly at seven o'clock. After chatting and digesting for a while in the rest area, everyone changed their clothes. Once the staff arranged the venue for the celebration activities, the leaders and dignitaries moved to the square outside the banquet hall to give official speeches and mingle with the people.During this segment, Qiao Zhiya was originally supposed to stand by Chu Rong's side as a background figure. However, his mind was preoccupied with Gu Yan'an, who was heavily pregnant. His fidgeting and small gestures went unnoticed, completely ignoring the official news cameras that approached them.On the screens of the Star Network and various linked event squares, the people watched with amusement as Qiao Zhiya, who stood beside Chu Rong, occasionally glanced at Gu Yan'an. He was busy handing over shawls or water, seeming to enjoy himself immensely.Among the solemn and serious dignitaries, having such an oddity mixed in brought a festive atmosphere almost instantly. Marshal Chu, who kept holding his hand to prevent him from running over to Gu Yan'an, had a dark expression throughout, somewhat disrupting the atmosphere.With the starry sky overhead, cheerful music, and the laughter of the people, the festival atmosphere enveloped everyone. Colorful ribbons and hot air balloons filled every corner of the square. The leaders of the two countries stood on the platform at the highest level of the square, facing the people and expressing hopes for the coming year.Everything was as beautiful as a dream, and everyone was intoxicated by it, momentarily forgetting the dirty schemes hidden beneath the peace.On a mining planet outside the asteroid belt, Qiao Yi completed the last stroke of the teleportation array, with a slight furrow between his eyebrows.Despite his protests, Mi Lai held his hand and sent her magic over.Mi Lai, Qiao Yi tried to stop her by reaching for her hand.Don't move. I don't want our baby to be left behind. You first, Mi Lai insisted, forcefully sending her magic over. She looked at the barren environment of the asteroid, her eyes slightly red. Did our baby live in a place like this when he first came over? Without magic, proper food, or water, how could he survive, especially when he's just come of age?They had followed Qiao Zhiya's aura to teleport out, but the asteroid belt was too long, and they had spent considerable effort to escape. However, they hadn't anticipated the difficulties beyond that. There was no magic outside the boundary, and they had very few magic stones with them. Without magical replenishment, they were almost at a dead end.Don't worry, I'll make sure you all return home safely, Qiao Yi hugged her, gently stroking her hair.Mi Lai nodded, took a deep breath to suppress her weakness, and looked at the magic array on the ground. Is it ready?Qiao Yi nodded and walked into the array first.Mi Lai was determined as she also stepped into the array and activated it, inputting her magic.Meanwhile, Qiao Yi didn't even blink as he cut his wrist and drew a blood teleportation array in the air with his blood.The night breeze blew, causing the stone grass in the corner to sway. Sensing a faintly familiar gentle aura, it tentatively extended its influence. Inside the array, Qiao Yi gently closed his eyes, his long hair fluttering in the night breeze, and the pattern on his flowing robe seemed to emit a faint glow.
