However, she still couldn't perform a shoulder throw.
The man hugged her tightly again, his low, magnetic voice laced with a hint of disappointment and unhappiness, deep and muffled, "Tell me who he is, and I'll let you go."
Chi Xian raised her eyes, her deep black gaze sweeping over the man appraising her.
Chi Xian refused to back down.
With an equally scrutinizing gaze, she looked at him without blinking.
As their eyes met.
It was as if the air itself crackled with unseen electricity, sizzling and clashing.
Ming Zheng: "???"
This troublemaker, why so many questions?
What had she forgotten?
That drove the troublemaker crazy?
And more importantly…
Why did she always feel that the troublemaker harbored such deep hostility towards Fifth Senior Brother?
It felt like if he let go of her, he'd immediately get into a fight with Fifth Senior Brother.
Standing before them, Mo Qingchuan, dressed in a blue suit, his black eyes, which only softened when looking at Ming Zheng, now held a hint of cold scrutiny as he appraised Chi Xian.
He knew him.
The Mo Sect had investigated Chi Xian's profile.
However, the Chi family's data network…
The Mo Sect was currently unable to breach it.
All they knew was that the Chi family was no ordinary entity.
Its true background might be no less significant than the Mo Sect's.
This man… how did he end up with their Junior Sister?
Mo Qingchuan was a man.
He could naturally sense the hostility emanating from Chi Xian.
It was a man's hostility towards another man.
It was the hostility of jealousy.
The Chi family patriarch… liked his Junior Sister?
The most crucial point was…
His Junior Sister hadn't immediately thrown this man out?
In fact, she had allowed this man to hold her.
Even though Junior Sister's face was impassive, her beautiful small brows furrowed, and she looked displeased.
Still, she showed no intention of resisting.
Nor did she seem uncomfortable.
This was enough to indicate…
That this Chi family patriarch was a special presence to their Junior Sister.
Mo Qingchuan's gaze deepened slightly, his dark eyes becoming subtly enigmatic and obscure. Before Ming Zheng could follow Chi Xian's gaze and look over.
He preemptively took the lead, his gaze fixed on Chi Xian, his voice calm, "Ah Zheng, who is this…"
Just as Ming Zheng was about to speak.
The man embracing her slender waist suddenly let go.
But his hand still circled her waist, pushing her behind him, preventing her from speaking with her Senior Brother.
Then, he strode forward.
Extending a hand towards Mo Qingchuan, his devastatingly handsome face broke into a devastatingly handsome smile, "Hello, I'm Chi Xian, Zheng Bao's… suitor."
The man's voice sounded very calm.
But his tone clearly carried a warning.
Mo Qingchuan's expression remained placid as he slowly extended his hand to shake Chi Xian's, "My name is Mo Qingchuan, and to Ah Zheng… I am a very important man."
Their hands clasped.
Their eyes met, smiles playing on their lips.
But in the air…
Turbulent air currents rippled.
That sizzling, crackling sound like electricity erupted once more.
The surrounding spiritual energy surged like overwhelming tidal waves, ceaselessly churning.
The martial artists around them felt their chests constrict, and each of them fell to their knees.
Ming Zheng: "???"
What was going on with these two?
What kind of introductions were these?
And more importantly…
What was with this aura of imminent conflict if they disagreed on anything?
Did these two have a feud?
Ming Zheng, her mind filled with question marks, broke free from Chi Xian's arm around her waist.
Then, she leaned her small head forward, looking left and right.
And then, she raised her hand.
Directly severing the electric current that flowed between their gazes.
With a "snap."
Her hand landed on their clasped hands.
Ming Zheng's hands were not large, but her fingers were slender and white.
The moment her hand landed on their backs.
The turbulent waves that had been surging in the air instantly subsided.
"You… know each other?"
One was the patriarch of an ancient family in Xia Country.
The other was a Senior Brother from the Mo Sect.
How could two completely unrelated people know each other?
Could it be… Fifth Senior Brother had encountered Chi Xian on a mission before?
As Ming Zheng's hand easily suppressed the surging spiritual energy between them.
Their hands instantly separated.
Then, both of them simultaneously raised their wrists.
And spoke at the same time—
"No."
Chi Xian's white shirt cuff was rolled up his arm, revealing a segment of his smooth, jade-like skin, which under the bright lights, was coated with an alluring sheen.
His long, jade-like fingers gently rubbed his wrist.
Mo Qingchuan also rolled up his sleeves, gently rotating his wrist, his clear, calm eyes curving into a faint smile, "It seems you haven't slacked off this year either. Not bad."
Being able to easily suppress the surging spiritual energy between him and Chi Xian.
It indicated that Ming Zheng's strength had not regressed during the year she left the Mo Sect.
"...Mm." Ming Zheng blinked, looking at Mo Qingchuan rubbing his wrist, and lowered her gaze slightly.
Had she not slacked off?
Actually, she had.
To return to the Ming family, to integrate into the Ming family, she had given up everything, wanting only to be an ordinary person.
Naturally… she had not practiced diligently.
Let alone this year.
Including the three years of her previous life.
She hadn't properly, or earnestly, trained herself.
For the Ming family, she had lost too much.
She was almost losing herself.
Ming Zheng closed her eyes, shaking off the chaotic thoughts in her mind.
Chi Xian's gaze was fixed on Ming Zheng.
Watching her lower her eyes slightly, hearing her tone suddenly become somewhat strange.
His thin lips pursed slightly.
A year ago…
Even their Chi family's data network couldn't find any information about Zheng Bao's past.
But this man…
Had participated in her past, a past he couldn't participate in or even know about.
A very important man to her?
This battle hadn't even begun.
He seemed to have already lost.
Chi Xian lowered his brows, his entire head drooping.
Ming Zheng: "???"
What was wrong with the troublemaker now?
Why was he suddenly so dejected?
And more importantly…
He looked like a large, pampered, loyal dog that had lost favor.
As his head drooped, his usually sharp, tousled short hair also drooped, lying flat and soft against his head.
Fine and soft.
It looked… tempting to touch.
She wanted to run her fingers through it.
"Ah Zheng, you haven't had a good year, have you?" Mo Qingchuan's expression remained largely unreadable as he swept a glance over the surrounding martial artists.
His eyebrows arched slightly, "These riff-raff, could they really bully you?"
His voice was calm, and his expression held little emotion.
Even his words were spoken softly, faintly.
Yet, the words he uttered…
Carried a chilling indifference that could extinguish all existence.