Su Xi's mind raced at the young master's words. She didn't know this person at all, yet he spoke as if they were intimately familiar. His condescending attitude was also deeply unsettling. If not for the crowd, she would have acted immediately.
Seeing the confusion on Su Xi's face, Li Zhi smiled and cut to the chase, "You were the one spying on me just now, weren't you?"
Li Zhi's identity was sensitive, so the entire room was protected by formations for security. Su Xi, though unaware of the specific methods used, clearly possessed some skill to have nearly glimpsed him. After all, even a master in the Integration stage wouldn't be more capable than Su Xi in this room. If not for his clever formations, Su Xi would have indeed discovered something.
Hearing Li Zhi's words, Mu Ge's face turned pale, and his body trembled. He had assumed Li Zhi merely wished to meet Su Xi, never imagining it was because Su Xi had been secretly spying. Considering Li Zhi's sensitive status, Su Xi's actions were suicidal. He regretted not noticing Su Xi's behavior earlier, which would have prevented this situation.
He had heard of Li Zhi before, and the thought still sent chills down his spine. Once, someone had inadvertently walked near his door and, without doing anything else, Li Zhi had annihilated their entire clan of nine generations and even displayed their desiccated corpses on the city walls as dried meat. Now that Su Xi dared to probe his mind, their situation was dire.
"Oh, my mother, I should never have gone out to make money," Mu Ge felt a surge of fear, wishing he could immediately declare his non-involvement with Su Xi. But he also knew that any interruption from him now would only result in a worse fate, possibly leading to the extermination of all one hundred generations of his clan.
As he floundered, Su Xi suddenly spoke, her voice remarkably calm, "Young Master, since you summoned me, I presume you don't intend to simply intimidate me. What is your purpose? Please state it directly."
Li Zhi, observing Su Xi's composure, nodded appreciatively and gestured to Pang Dahai, signaling him to stand down and refrain from acting for the moment. Pang Dahai cast a disgruntled glance at Su Xi but withdrew his imposing aura.
With the oppressive pressure gone, Su Xi felt a wave of weariness. Couldn't they just talk like normal people without resorting to such tactics to make her uncomfortable? She wondered whose peculiar nature had led to this. However, she understood the principle of might makes right and wisely kept her thoughts to herself.
Li Zhi was pleased with Su Xi's reaction and motioned to a nearby chair. "Please sit down, let's have a proper talk." The competition had entered a heated stage, and he was in dire need of talent. If Su Xi could offer a pleasant surprise, it would save him considerable trouble.
Su Xi didn't stand on ceremony and boldly took a seat. She had realized that people like Li Zhi were proud; acting subserviently would only lead to contempt. The only way to gain his favor was to act contrary to his expectations.
Pang Dahai, witnessing Su Xi's impudent behavior, was about to scold her but was stopped by a subtle glance from Li Zhi. For Li Zhi, the immediate priority was to find talented individuals. With enough talent, he could gain an advantage in the ongoing competition.
"Who are you?" Li Zhi looked at Su Xi, attempting to appear approachable. In his view, treating someone courteously should be met with gratitude. He expected Su Xi to be deeply appreciative of his politeness.
Su Xi, noticing Li Zhi's condescending demeanor, smiled. "Young Master, you are likely seeking talent, not a noble family, correct? While I am not from the capital, I believe I possess something you value. In that case, does my family background truly matter?"
Li Zhi was taken aback by Su Xi's unconventional response. It was certainly novel. A smile then spread across his face as he clapped his hands in agreement. "You are absolutely right. That is precisely what I thought. However, your abilities still need to be proven." He needed talent, not incompetence. He already had enough useless individuals around him and certainly didn't need another. He wasn't running a charity.
Su Xi understood Li Zhi's implication and asked, "What do you want me to do now?" Caught in his grasp, she knew she couldn't leave without demonstrating something. To survive, she had to act.
Li Zhi was pleased with Su Xi's pragmatism and raised his hand. "Show me what the people in the nearby rooms are doing." He valued Su Xi's ability to observe her surroundings remotely and needed to verify if it was true. The formations in this place were elaborate; while the isolation formations in other rooms weren't particularly powerful, they still weren't easily penetrated.
Upon hearing Li Zhi's request, Su Xi's face registered a hint of helplessness. The task was far too simple. Without further ado, she activated her supercomputer, captured all the information from the vicinity, converted it into colored images, and presented them to Li Zhi.
As Li Zhi held the colored images Su Xi handed him, he was filled with astonishment. What kind of technique was this, possessing such capabilities? He passed the images to Pang Dahai and urgently instructed, "Go immediately to the surrounding VIP rooms and see if the situation matches what I have here."
"Yes." Pang Dahai was also shocked, finding Su Xi's methods almost magical. Not only could she see what people were doing nearby, but she could also depict it so vividly. He had heard of individuals capable of observing situations without alerting others, but their methods were often complex and far slower than Su Xi's.
With a hint of doubt, he began observing the various VIP rooms. Upon confirming that the situations inside were indeed consistent with Su Xi's intel, Pang Dahai immediately returned to Li Zhi's side and reported his findings. As someone close to Li Zhi, he understood the immense benefits Su Xi's abilities would bring them, saving them considerable effort.
Hearing Pang Dahai's report, Li Zhi's face lit up with a radiant smile. It was now confirmed that Su Xi truly possessed skills. And for someone with such talent, the path forward was clear.
"Are you willing to follow me and serve me?" Li Zhi asked Su Xi with evident joy, awaiting her consent. He had already planned what he would assign Su Xi to do.
Seeing the unfolding situation, Mu Ge secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It appeared there was no immediate danger, and they might even gain an ally in Li Zhi. Just as Mu Ge was about to relax, he heard Su Xi say, "I don't want to."
"You don't want to?" Hearing Su Xi's refusal, Mu Ge looked at her in horror, nearly choking on his own breath. What was she doing? Mama, I want to go home. In such a short time, he felt as if he had lived through an eternity.
Li Zhi's expression turned grim upon hearing Su Xi's response. He looked at her and asked in a hostile tone, "You refuse? Do you intend to help someone else?" He found it almost comical that after all these years, no one had ever refused to help him.
Pang Dahai, hearing Su Xi's words, also turned his attention to her. If she refused, then given her abilities, she couldn't be allowed to live. Otherwise, with the involvement of others, his plans to utilize Su Xi would be thwarted.
Sensing the sudden tension in the air, Su Xi remained unhurried. She smiled and said, "Don't be so anxious. If you want me to help you, at least tell me what you can offer me. Otherwise, if you say nothing, why should I help you?"
Li Zhi's gloomy expression subsided as he spoke, "This is indeed my oversight. I haven't properly introduced myself." "I am the Third Prince of the Great Xuan Empire. If you work for me, I guarantee you can have anything you desire. Furthermore, I see your talent is considerable. With my resources, reaching the Void Refining stage at any time will be within your grasp."
…
A series of incredibly tempting offers were quickly laid out, making the nearby Mu Ge's heart soar, wishing he could immediately accept. If he possessed such capabilities, he would have readily agreed.
After a moment of consideration, Su Xi nodded and agreed, "Since the Third Prince has such great sincerity, I will naturally assist you wholeheartedly."
"Good." Li Zhi was extremely pleased. With Su Xi's help, the subsequent tasks would be much easier. "Bring wine! Today, we shall drink to our heart's content!" Li Zhi was overjoyed; his worries of the past few days vanished in an instant. Who else could compete with him now?
Just as Li Zhi was reveling in his happiness, a knock sounded at the door. The interruption darkened Li Zhi's mood instantly. Were these people courting death?
Pang Dahai understood Li Zhi's intent and was about to strike, but Su Xi's voice stopped him. "Wait, the person outside is one of my people." With that, she went to the door herself and opened it, asking, "What happened?" She had agreed with Ouyang Chuge not to contact her unless necessary. Why was Ouyang Chuge here instead of staying in her room?
Ouyang Chuge pointed to the room behind her. "I didn't want to come, but someone is here causing trouble."
"How dare they! No one has ever dared to cause trouble in my presence!" Li Zhi exclaimed before Su Xi could finish. Now that he had recruited Su Xi, he couldn't let this matter go so easily. Therefore, his immediate priority was to display his power. Only by showing Su Xi his might would she be truly loyal to him.