"Alas, Xiao Yi, after all these years, you still haven't accepted reality? The gap in talent can't be bridged by effort alone. Forgive me for speaking frankly, you are no match for Shi Qi… If you really fought, you wouldn't even be able to touch the hem of his clothes."

Ye Santong's indifferent and certain voice pulled Gongsun Yi back to reality.

"Hehe, I understand, Teacher!"

Gongsun Yi gave a bitter smile, then cupped his fist at Ye Santong. "I have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave, Teacher!"

After speaking, Gongsun Yi left without paying attention to the others.

Qi Qingfei and Lin Zicong looked at each other, unsure whether to stay or leave.

"Let's go too."

Chen Xiao said casually, and Qi Qingfei and Lin Zicong immediately nodded and went out the door.

Before leaving, Chen Xiao said to Ye Santong, "Old man, perhaps you are wrong. In my opinion, talent isn't that important. Goodbye… We'll meet again, Little Hongchan!"

Chen Xiao finally stroked Little Hongchan's head affectionately before stepping out of Sanyang Kaitai.

"Goodbye, Big Brother!"

Little Hongchan waved her hand reluctantly at Chen Xiao's back.

Once Chen Xiao and the others left, Shi Qi said with a disdainful look, "Hehe, what a group of ignorant fellows. They think talent isn't important, probably because they don't know what true talent is. Frogs in a well!"

As soon as Shi Qi finished speaking, Little Hongchan shook her head and said, "Big Brother isn't a frog in a well. He's very powerful!"

"Hehe, how powerful can an ordinary person from the secular world be?"

Shi Qi smiled contemptuously, not taking Little Hongchan's words seriously at all.

But Little Hongchan said stubbornly, "Anyway, Big Brother is much more powerful than Shi Qi-gege."

"More powerful than me?"

When Shi Qi heard this, he felt even more that Little Hongchan was just talking nonsense, so he teased, "Then tell me, who is more powerful, him or your grandfather?"

"I'm not sure about that…"

Little Hongchan shook her head seriously, then said as if reciting a tongue twister, "Because I can feel how powerful Grandpa is, but I don't know how powerful Big Brother is, so I don't know which of them is more powerful."

Ye Santong was stunned when he heard this. "Little Hongchan, are you telling the truth? You really can't see how powerful that big brother is?"

"Of course it's true!"

Little Hongchan raised her small hand, making a vow. "Little Hongchan doesn't lie! If I lie, may lightning strike me and kill Shi Qi-gege."

Shi Qi: "…"

Are you polite? Is that how you make a vow?

Noticing that Ye Santong's expression was not quite right, Shi Qi smiled and said, "Master, you don't really believe Little Hongchan's nonsense, do you? That kid is just an ordinary person from the secular world. No matter how powerful he is, can he be more powerful than Xiao Zhan? When I fought Xiao Zhan, he couldn't even withstand ten moves under my hands."

"Perhaps I'm overthinking it."

Ye Santong nodded in agreement, then he suddenly remembered something and instructed, "By the way, Shi Qi, that young man offended a few stinking dogs from the Embroidered Uniform Guard in order to protect Little Hongchan. Now that they've left, those stinking dogs will probably smell their way over to take revenge. So you'll have to take on a bit of trouble and protect them secretly for me."

"Yes, Master. Just a few stinking dogs from the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If I run into them, I'll kill them directly!"

The corners of Shi Qi's mouth rose, revealing a cold smile.

…

"Master, Master, was that old man just now really my grandmaster?"

On the way back, Lin Zicong asked excitedly.

Gongsun Yi glared at him, too lazy to pay attention to him.

Qi Qingfei even directly retorted, "You really know how to hit a sore spot. Haven't you figured it out yet? That old man doesn't even acknowledge your master as a disciple. Can't you have some backbone? You still call him grandmaster!"

When Gongsun Yi heard this, he almost spat out a mouthful of old blood. Others knew how to hit a sore spot, but you just opened the sore, didn’t you?

But after these two treasures joked around, Gongsun Yi's mood also brightened a lot, and the oppressive feeling was swept away.

After all, so many years have passed, and no matter how much he cared, it was all in the past, and he should have let it go long ago.

Yongning County is an ancient city with many historical sites. Even some of the streets were left over from the old days, paved with bluestone bricks.

The sky gradually darkened, and the four of them strolled to an open space in the park.

Chen Xiao stretched lazily and said casually, "You've been following us for so long, aren't you going to show yourselves? How long do you plan to follow us?"

As soon as he finished speaking, several people walked out of the nearby forest, and it was the four members of the Imperial City Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"This brat is quite alert, actually able to discover that we were following you!"

Fatty Luan said with a grin. Although he was speaking to Chen Xiao, his eyes kept scanning Qi Qingfei, his gaze full of lewdness.

If it were according to Qi Qingfei's usual temper, she would have cursed, "What are you looking at? If you keep looking, I'll dig out your dog eyes."

But when she thought of the scene of Fatty Luan killing Dong Xia Yang Potian with a single palm, she didn't have the courage.

Chen Xiao said jokingly, "You guys have such a dog-like stench, it's hard not to notice you!"

"Bastard, it's one thing for Ye Santong to call us dogs, but you dare to call us that too?"

Fatty Luan roared angrily.

"Hehe, you are a bunch of stinking dogs to begin with. He can scold you, so why can't I?"

Chen Xiao said with a pout.

"Bastard, I've followed you all the way just to confirm that Ye Santong isn't secretly protecting you… Without his protection, you dare to be arrogant in front of me?"

Fatty Luan said coldly, "A mere secular person dares to offend our Imperial City Embroidered Uniform Guard. You really don't know the immensity of heaven and earth. Ye Santong can protect you for a while, but he can't protect you forever!"

Chen Xiao shook his head and sighed. "They say dogs have sharp noses and a good sense of smell, but you few stinking dogs are an exception. Are you really sure Ye Santong didn't send anyone to protect us in secret?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Fatty Luan was stunned when he heard this.

Chen Xiao said lightly to the air in front of him, "You've already come, so why are you still hiding? Do you think you've lost face and can't face anyone?"

As soon as Chen Xiao finished speaking, a figure slowly emerged from the air in front of him, and it was Shi Qi.

Shi Qi glared at Chen Xiao coldly. This kid clearly knew that he was sent by his master to protect them, but he still dared to disrespect him. It was truly hateful.

And Lin Zicong and Qi Qingfei were dumbfounded when they saw this scene.

What's going on? Is this a Russian nesting doll?

They had no idea that so many people were following them while they were taking a walk. Were they playing some kind of mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind game?