Chapter 402: Finally Meeting Again

“May I ask who you are?” The lead officer’s expression was tense.

“I won’t repeat myself. Take these troublemakers and leave.” Li Xiaofei’s voice was firm and commanding.

“This...” The officer hesitated briefly before saying, “You do have independent investigative authority, and we are required to fully cooperate. However, we need your code name to report back and close the case.”

“Jade Emperor.” Li Xiaofei said calmly.

“Understood.” The lead officer noted the name and quickly instructed the other officers to drag the horse-faced man and his companions out. He even bowed slightly and said, “Apologies for the disturbance.”

Li Xiaofei waved dismissively and added, “If I see any more lowlife thugs causing trouble in my friend’s store, it won’t just be broken limbs. I have plenty of ways to make them vanish from the face of the earth without a trace.”

“Understood. I will make sure they get the message,” said the lead officer, nodding hurriedly.

The officers and troublemakers disappeared from the store within moments. Only then did Tan Baiqu and the other store attendants breathe a collective sigh of relief. Their eyes were filled with curiosity as they landed on Li Xiaofei.

“It was a small matter; just a simple favor. Don’t worry about it,” smiled Li Xiaofei. His smile was genuine and reassuring.

“No matter what, thank you very much.” Tan Baiqu applied medicinal ointment to the injured attendant and repeatedly expressed her gratitude to Li Xiaofei.

“How can such things happen in Xiajing’s main area, right under the emperor’s nose?” Li Xiaofei asked. “The horse-faced guy mentioned the Fei Lu Sect. What kind of influence do they wield? He seemed pretty arrogant.”

“The Fei Lu Sect is a faction under the Ouyang family, one of the ten great families in Xiajing. They’ve caused trouble here several times,” Tan Baiqu explained.

Li Xiaofei remarked, “I noticed that the officers seemed familiar with those troublemakers. It looked like they were colluding. Does the Police Department really turn a blind eye to this?”

Tan Baiqu sighed, “They come to stir up trouble on purpose in order to disrupt Shu Yu Zhai’s business so we can’t keep the store open. They’re careful with their actions since they never cause serious injuries. The Police Department can only detain them for a few days at most. Plus, it’s likely that the Fei Lu Sect has paid off certain officials, so the officers tend to look the other way.”

Li Xiaofei said, “I haven’t been in Xiajing long, and I thought that as the nation’s capital, the rule of law would be strict here. I didn’t expect this.”

“It wasn’t always like this,” Tan Baiqu replied.

The implication was clear.

Li Xiaofei decided not to dwell on it and shifted the topic and said, “Manager Tan, you know Little Ying, right? I want to see her. Where can I find her?”

A hint of hesitation appeared on Tan Baiqu’s face.

Li Xiaofei continued, “Or if you have her contact information, could you let her know? Just say that a friend from Liuhe Base City wants to see her. She’ll want to meet me.”

“You’re from Liuhe Base City?” Tan Baiqu’s eyes flashed with surprise.

“Yes, I really am her friend. I’m not lying,” Li Xiaofei affirmed.

Tan Baiqu said, “I believe you now. However, Little Ying has been in seclusion for over six months and hasn’t met anyone... How about this: come with me. If she decides to see you, she might pause her seclusion.”

“That’s wonderful.” Li Xiaofei’s face lit up with joy.

Tan Baiqu took a few moments to leave instructions at the store and ensure everything was managed before leading Li Xiaofei out. They headed to the parking area of the towering building.

The hovercar soared through the sky. This was Li Xiaofei’s first time riding in a magnetic levitation vehicle. Tan Baiqu skillfully operated the car’s light core, weaving smoothly between the skyscrapers through the low-altitude paths and designated high-speed routes.

“How did you and Little Ying meet?” Tan Baiqu asked casually.

Li Xiaofei chuckled and said, “The first time we met was in Uncle Tan’s office. At first, she gave me quite a scare because she was dressed like a rebellious teenager...”

Memories were always sweet. When she saw the smile on Li Xiaofei’s face, Tan Baiqu had an inkling of what that meant. A faint sense of sympathy stirred in her heart for this young man. Perhaps it was a cherished memory. Friendship tinged with budding love. Those sunlit stories of youth were surely poetic and everlasting.

But the world was too grounded in reality. Ideals often faced harsh blows when colliding with reality. Even the most beautiful love couldn’t withstand the weight of familial interests.

As a member of the Tan family, Tan Baiqu had already heard many rumors. Tan Qingying was expected to sacrifice for the family and enter a marriage alliance with the Ouyang family, the most powerful among Xiajing’s ten great families, to secure their support and reverse the Tan family's declining fortunes.

As the only bloodline bearer of the new generation and the heir chosen by the previous patriarch before his death, Tan Qingying had to shoulder the responsibility of revitalizing the Tan family. Tan Baiqu was certain that this young man’s quest to see Little Ying would ultimately end in heartbreak and retreat.

A boy from a small place like Liuhe Base City who was so pure, warm, sincere, and brave possessed a kind of simplicity that young people from a big city like Xiajing rarely exhibited. This was why Tan Baiqu had decided to take him to the family’s ancestral home.

In truth, when Li Xiaofei first stepped into Shu Yu Zhai, he had caught the attention of the female attendants. There was an inherent charm about him that drew others in, making even the most aloof girls steal a second glance.

She thought it would be better to take him there and let this young man find closure for his love. Even if the end was a painful one, it was better than leaving things unresolved. Yet, Tan Baiqu was also curious. The insignia Li Xiaofei had shown and the code name Jade Emperor—what did they signify, and how could they make the officers obediently retreat?

“Did you come to Xiajing just to see Little Ying?” Tan Baiqu asked again.

Though it was a bit forward, she was genuinely curious about the relationship between Li Xiaofei and Tan Qingying and wanted to learn more.

“I came for college,” Li Xiaofei replied.

“Which school? Beixia University? Or Huaqing University?” Tan Baiqu asked instinctively.

Li Xiaofei rubbed his nose and said, “White Deer Academy.”

“White Deer Academy?”

Tan Baiqu thought carefully for a moment before recalling that such an academy did exist.

But hadn’t it been on the brink of closing down?

“Yes, I’m a freshman at White Deer Academy,” Li Xiaofei said, completely at ease.

Tan Baiqu shook her head lightly. She felt she now had an understanding of Li Xiaofei’s level. There was no way he could compete in this relationship with his strength. Suddenly, a pang of regret washed over her for taking Li Xiaofei to the ancestral home. She feared he might be humiliated.

After all, the Tan family was in a chaotic state now. The acting patriarch, Tan Shengwei, was not known for his kindness.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Just as Tan Baiqu’s thoughts were racing, the car’s navigation system blared an urgent alarm, and lurched from a violent impact.

“What’s happening?”

She was startled. At that moment...

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted as a blinding flash of fire engulfed the entire hovercar. The car was ripped apart in an instant by the force of the explosion. A dense cloud of smoke unfurled in the sky.

Tan Baiqu’s mind went blank. In that instant, she was certain she was about to die. But at that very moment, the boy beside her moved.

Golden flames surged from his body, forming a visible protective shield that encased Tan Baiqu and blocked the terrifying explosion completely. At the same time—

Whoosh!

A sword’s hum filled the air as a crimson longsword transformed into a streak of light, circling swiftly before appearing beneath Li Xiaofei’s feet.

Standing on the flying sword, Li Xiaofei wrapped one arm around Tan Baiqu’s waist, holding them both aloft. It was the Sword Harnessing Technique!

“You...” Tan Baiqu stared in utter disbelief.

Levitating in the air? This is the hallmark of a Five Spirits Realm expert. Could it be that this young man, so youthful, is already a practitioner of the Five Spirits Realm?

“Don’t talk.” Li Xiaofei instructed.

In the distance, several miniature electromagnetic missiles hurtled toward them with deadly precision. The danger was not over. With one arm around Tan Baiqu, Li Xiaofei concentrated.

Whoosh!

The rusty sword shot through the air, instantly breaking the sound barrier. But the missiles followed close behind, leaving fiery trails in the air.

Tan Baiqu felt as though the white clouds were speeding past like arrows. An unprecedented thrill surged through her, making her momentarily forget the missiles pursuing them.

After a brief moment, Li Xiaofei noted that apart from the missiles, no additional pursuers had appeared. The attackers had retreated. He gestured sharply and struck out several times.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

The sword qi from the Six Meridian Divine Sword technique sliced through the sky. From a hundred meters away, Li Xiaofei’s strikes detonated the incoming missiles in mid-air. They exploded with a deafening roar, releasing a wave of destructive energy that sent monstrous shockwaves rippling through the sky.

Li Xiaofei halted.

“Do you have any enemies?” He asked the beautiful girl in his arms.

Tan Baiqu looked a bit dazed and replied, “No... But even commercial rivalry shouldn’t go this far. Only a true Saint family would be able to deploy electromagnetic missiles...”

Li Xiaofei found it hard to believe. “Commercial rivalry? Using missiles... Has Xiajing descended into such chaos?”

Even Liuhe Base City wasn’t this wild. He continued flying on the sword. Tan Baiqu’s quickly guided him until they reached the Tan family’s ancestral home.

After landing, they walked on foot. With Tan Baiqu leading, Li Xiaofei easily gained entry to the estate.

“Come, I’ll take you to see Little Ying.”

She led Li Xiaofei briskly through the estate, and soon they arrived outside the ancestral hall.

“Huh?” A startled voice called out.

A man in a black suit and top hat with a small mustache stood at the entrance of the hall.

When he saw Li Xiaofei, he was visibly shocked. “How did you get here?”

“I came to fulfill my promise.” Li Xiaofei greeted him with a smile.

This mustachioed man was Tan Qingying’s personal bodyguard. If he was present, then the young lady must be here as well. Li Xiaofei strode into the ancestral hall. The middle-aged man hesitated but did not stop him. Tan Baiqu hurried after him.

“Little Ying!” Li Xiaofei called out loudly.

Tan Baiqu said, “The clan leader is in seclusion; she won’t come out—”

Before she could finish, the doors to the seclusion chamber at the back of the hall suddenly burst open with a loud crash.

A slender figure leaped out of the shattered doors.

“Xiaofei!” Tan Qingying flung her arms wide and leaped into Li Xiaofei’s embrace like a returning swallow.

Tan Baiqu could hardly believe her eyes.