C126 Escape

Xinche's Battle Power glowed a soft green, while Xinjing's shimmered in a pale blue hue.

One embodied the essence of wood, the other, water.

These were fairly common attributes.

Then, he noticed Xinlian and Xinyi with their heads bowed.

"What's wrong with you two?" Ning Qi asked with a smile.

"Young master, we failed to cultivate Mutated Battle Power," Xinlian confessed, her voice tinged with disappointment.

"Don't be disheartened. Here, take these Unique Battle Pills," Ning Qi said, as he pulled out a generous handful from the forty to fifty remaining in his spatial bag and handed them over.

"Thank you so much, Young Master!" Xinlian and Xinyi accepted the pills with joy, each planting a grateful kiss on Ning Qi's cheek. Xinche and Xinjing looked on with smiles, while the other maidservants watched the four with envious gazes. If only their beauty matched, they too might have tried to charm Ning Qi.

As night descended, Ning Qi sat in solitude within the inky darkness of his room, Jin scampering about him. Lately, he had fed most of the Spiritual Nourishment Pills from his space bag to the creature. But as a Sixth Grade Boss level Demonic Beast, maturing was a far greater challenge for Jin than for Purple. Despite consuming several thousand Yellow Rank Medium-grade Spirit Nourishment Pills, Jin had only grown slightly in size.

Ning Qi did a quick tally; Jin would likely need more than ten times the amount of pills Purple required to reach full maturity.

"Little guy, you've got quite the appetite," Ning Qi chuckled, then instructed, "Go on out and keep watch for me. You can't just eat and not pitch in."

With a chirp, Jin darted out of the room. After a brief patrol, it returned to Ning Qi's side, leaping onto his shoulder and chattering into his ear.

"Deng San has stationed ten Peak Battle King warriors to patrol my courtyard for nearly a month now. He still doesn't trust me," Ning Qi grumbled to himself, frustration lacing his words.

With only about ten months left for his advancement mission, time was pressing. If he didn't escape from Princess Diaoman's estate soon, he'd fail his mission. Mulling over his options, he realized his best bet was to turn to the Dragon Slaying Shop.

"There's a wealth of items here; surely there's something I can use right now."

Suddenly, he smacked his thigh in realization.

"I can't believe I forgot the invisibility talisman!"

Ning Qi was so frustrated with himself he felt like slapping his own face.

"A Low-grade Yellow Rank invisibility talisman, effective for 24 hours, goes for 10 Dragon Slaying Coins."

"Low-grade just isn't reliable. If Deng San catches even a hint of me, escaping will become a real challenge. Knowing Princess Diaoman, she'd definitely clamp shackles on me."

"The Profound Rank Low Grade invisibility talisman, on the other hand, lasts for 240 hours and costs 500 Dragon Slaying Coins. It's undetectable to anyone below the level of Battle Ancestor."

Upon reading the description, Ning Qi didn't hesitate to purchase two—one for Purple and one for himself.

Ten days would be ample time for him to reach the Shanhai Realm. By then, Deng San would have no chance of catching up.

After some thought, Ning Qi took up a pen and paper and penned a note.

"To the beautiful Ninth Princess, I have some personal affairs to attend to, so I must take my leave without a proper farewell. Please don't miss me. There's no need to send Brother Deng after me; you won't find me. Should the opportunity arise, we'll surely meet again. I ask that you look after these four maidservants for me. I intend to return and redeem them later."

Satisfied with his calligraphy, Ning Qi left the note behind and made his way out of the room. Pausing, he headed to the maidservants' quarters and gently pushed the door open. The four were deep in slumber, oblivious to his presence.

Xinlian and Xinyi were smiling, lost in pleasant dreams.

Xinche was the picture of tranquility in her sleep.

Xinjing, however, was wide awake, her bright eyes meeting his in the moonlight.

"Young Master, are you departing?"

Their eyes locked for a moment before Xinjing spoke softly.

Ning Qi offered a gentle smile. "How did you guess?"

A flicker of concern passed through Xinjing's eyes. "Master Deng tasked us with keeping a close watch on you. I knew you didn't wish to stay at the Princess Residence. I just never imagined you'd leave so soon."

"Why are you being so forthright? Aren't you concerned that I might harm you?"

Ning Qi was taken aback by the candor.

Xinjing rose silently from the bed and gazed earnestly at Ning Qi. "Wu Maji trained us with the expectation that we'd be presented to nobles and dignitaries. I've wondered if that person might be an elderly man on his deathbed or perhaps a coarse merchant. It's our good fortune to have met you; I'm aware you bear us no malice and have always treated us with dignity. If you decide to leave, be wary of Master Deng. Over a dozen Battle King guards are watching over the courtyard."

Ning Qi stepped closer to Xinjing and gently caressed her chilly cheek, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't fret. If I choose to leave, no one can stop me. Once I've dealt with my current affairs, I'll return for you. Keep these."

He produced more than ten bottles of Spiritual Nourishment Pills and set them beside Xinjing's bed.

"Should you find no use for them, sell them for some cultivation resources. Remember, I am Ning Qi, the Dragon Slaying Marquis of the Qintang Empire. You've chosen to follow me, and thus, you cannot follow another. Await my return."

With those final words, Ning Qi departed.

In that moment, Xinche's eyes fluttered open.

"Have you fallen for the young master?" she whispered.

Xinjing stared at the Spiritual Nourishment Pills, lost in thought.

"If Xinlian and Xinyi knew the young master had left just like this, they'd be inconsolable," Xinche added.

"The young master promised he'd return for us," Xinjing replied with a smile.

Once outside the girls' quarters, Ning Qi released Purple from the Pet Space and applied a Profound Rank low-grade invisibility talisman to both himself and his pet. Together, they ascended into the heavens, setting course for the Shanhai Realm.

In the imperial palace, a middle-aged man's brow furrowed as he stepped outside the grand hall, peering into the sky.

"His method of concealment is indeed peculiar," he mused.

"Your Majesty, the night grows deep. Please, rest," a beautiful woman suggested, wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her cheek against his back with a gentle voice.

At the same time, Qiu Wanli, who was being held temporarily in the local government's custody, managed to escape detection as he transformed into a pool of blood and seeped out of his cell.

He had never intended to resort to this forbidden technique, knowing it would cost him dearly: not only would his cultivation level drop to that of a Nine-Star Battle King, but he would also sacrifice ten years of his life.

Regrettably, he was scheduled for transfer to the capital's most secure imperial prison the following day, where he would begin serving his sentence. Once there, under the watchful eye of a Battle Emperor, escape would be out of the question.

Once the blood reached the exterior of the government building, it instantly reformed into Qiu Wanli's human shape.

He made his way out of the capital to the outskirts, where, with a ghastly pale face, he struck a tree with his fist. The blow reduced the innocent tree to splinters, splitting it in two.

"Ning Qi! Ninth Princess! One day, I, Qiu Wanli, will avenge this injustice!" he vowed, his eyes burning with venom as he stared in the direction of the Ninth Princess Mansion.

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