Chapter 58: A Chance Encounter with an Old Acquaintance

Ning Song spoke as such, but the current situation clearly indicated that avoiding it was not an option. The airship ahead swiftly approached and inserted itself into their path. After confirming each other’s identities, the captains of the two airships slowed down simultaneously and hovered side by side, docking their hatches.

A man in his early thirties, with a refined appearance, entered the cabin and bowed to Qian Ye, saying, “Lord Qian Ye, an old friend wishes to invite you for a meeting. She says that upon seeing this, you will know her identity.”

The man took out a small box, opened it, and inside lay a gem.

Qian Ye had never seen this gem before, but he sensed a familiar essence force from it. It contained both his own essence force and another one that was both unfamiliar and familiar, ever-changing and unpredictable. This instantly reminded Qian Ye of a familiar person, Tianqing Ji.

Ning Song also detected Tianqing Ji’s presence and let out a sigh of relief, but upon closer inspection, a hidden worry could be seen in his expression.

Unaware of Ning Song’s unease, Qian Ye asked the man, “Who gave this to you?”

The man did not answer, merely bowed slightly, and waited quietly for Qian Ye to make a decision.

After a moment’s thought, Qian Ye said, “Very well, I’ll go.”

Surprisingly, Ning Song did not object or request to accompany him. Instead, he patted Qian Ye on the shoulder, saying, “Go and come back soon,” and stepped aside, clearly indicating he did not plan to join Qian Ye on the airship.

Without much thought, Qian Ye made plans to meet Ning Song in Pengcheng, then followed the man onto the opposite airship, vanishing in an instant.

The airship owned by King Zhiji was slender like a willow leaf, flying swiftly and smoothly. However, the living quarters were quite cramped, only accommodating three or four people. The rest of the space was likely occupied by power systems, maintaining its agility. The man responsible for receiving Qian Ye sat opposite him, and for some reason, kept glancing at Qian Ye.

Qian Ye felt uncomfortable under the man’s gaze, and this covert watching was rather impolite. While Qian Ye respected King Zhiji, it did not mean he would be polite to King Zhiji’s subordinates. At that moment, his eyes changed, and the man’s image suddenly reflected in them.

The man’s hair stood on end, and he instinctively tried to leap up, but his body felt as if it were bound by spider webs, making his movements sluggish and slow. He failed to jump and fell back into his seat.

Only then did he realize he had overreacted. On King Zhiji’s flagship, within the Empire’s territory, and during such a journey, should he really have a direct confrontation with Qian Ye, especially when the other party hadn’t even moved a finger? He promptly withdrew his essence force, and the constrictive feeling instantly loosened. He then sat down again, but the fright had left him pale and unable to recover for a long time.

Qian Ye had no intention of hurting anyone before understanding the situation, so after teaching the man a lesson, he retracted his Dominating Eyes.

The man was drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of water. His gaze toward Qian Ye had completely changed, now filled with shock and fear. For a strong person of his caliber, the feeling of having one’s life and death in someone else’s hands was extremely uncomfortable. Just now, he had been startled by Qian Ye’s move, trying to leap up but failing, which meant Qian Ye had completely suppressed him, leaving no room for resistance.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, “Lord Qian Ye, I am Ruo Fei Ji. I apologize for my earlier rudeness. Please don’t take it to heart.”

“It’s fine.” Qian Ye saw that Ruo Fei Ji possessed top-tier cultivation and innate talent, with a high chance of breaking through to the Divine General stage. He was likely one of the most outstanding geniuses among King Zhiji’s descendants. Since he had become obedient, there was no need to push him too hard, as it would not look good for either of them.

Ruo Fei Ji looked at Qian Ye with a complex expression and said, “News of Lord Qian Ye’s achievement as a Divine General has spread. Frankly, most people are deeply impressed, though a few are not. I was one of them, and I had some ideas, wanting to challenge you before you awakened your Divine General abilities. But just moments ago, I realized that even if I break through to the Divine General stage immediately, I would still be no match for you.”

This man was quite adaptable, bowing his head very readily, yet Qian Ye’s expression remained unchanged. He said seriously, “You flatter me. Even a regular Divine General would not be easy for me to defeat in one move.”

Ruo Fei Ji almost choked on his breath. With his status and the humble attitude he had displayed, if it were someone else, they would have reciprocated with a few courteous words to ease the awkwardness. Who knew Qian Ye would take him at his word and speak the blunt truth?

Of course, for Qian Ye, it was just the truth. At the Divine General level, especially for human Divine Generals, the prime crystal was still a formidable barrier. His existing Primordial Gun could no longer one-shot a target. Stronger Divine Generals, even if hit by a shot, would not lose their combat capability, such as Wolf King.

However, after breaking through the Divine General barrier, Qian Ye’s strength had increased dramatically, and his bloodline could advance without restrictions. While a regular Divine General might not die from a shot of the Primordial Gun, they wouldn’t be able to withstand Qian Ye’s subsequent attacks. So, the difference was merely in the timing of their defeat.

Facing Qian Ye, who could use the Void Flash, without any special survival techniques, losing generally meant death.

Ruo Fei Ji, being observant, could tell from Qian Ye’s expression that he was being serious, which made things even more frustrating.

With no other choice, Ruo Fei Ji sighed and said, “Only someone like you is worthy of her.”

This abrupt statement left Qian Ye puzzled. But when he asked, Ruo Fei Ji refused to say anything, and Qian Ye was not interested in pressing further. They continued in silence, watching the airship fly out of the void towards an unnamed floating island.

The floating island drifted alone in the void, appearing desolate and uninhabited. Though it was within the protective layer of Qin Lu, it was too close to the edge, and frequent small void storms and deadly spatial rifts made it unsuitable for permanent residence. It was understandable why the Empire had not set up a outpost there.

But Qian Ye soon discovered the truth. The airship skillfully circled to the back of the island and entered a small valley. Suddenly, the scenery changed, revealing a beautiful, untouched paradise.

The entire valley was protected by an essence force array, shielded from external observation. A small stream wound through the valley, with a small courtyard shaded by ancient trees, exuding a rustic charm.

The airship stopped from a distance, and Ruo Fei Ji pointed to the courtyard, saying, “The person who wants to see you is there. You can go on your own; we cannot approach.”

Qian Ye disembarked and walked towards the courtyard. He was almost certain that the person waiting inside was Tianqing Ji. Although he did not know why she wanted to see him, their shared experiences in the Great Maelstrom made him proceed without hesitation.

As he was about to enter the courtyard, Qian Ye suddenly felt a sense of being watched. He stopped and looked around but found nothing, and the feeling vanished as quickly as it came.

Qian Ye did not believe it was a hallucination. He was certain that someone had been observing him using some method. This person’s concealment skills were astonishing, and even with his Eye Techniques, Qian Ye could not find a trace.

Qian Ye’s perception was very keen, and very few could evade his senses in equal power states. The presence of such a person here was unsettling.

But this place should belong to King Zhiji, possibly his retreat, and it was unlikely for an outsider to linger. The most likely scenario was that a powerful, unknown figure from the Zhiji Mansion was secretly protecting Tianqing Ji. Thinking this, and since the person had already left, Qian Ye, although displeased by the intrusion, did not intend to investigate further.

The courtyard was quiet. When Qian Ye pushed open the gate, the creaking sound seemed unusually loud, startling a few birds.

Though small, the courtyard had a pond and rocks, and an ancient tree stretched over the wall, like a green canopy, covering half of the yard.

By the pond, there was a table and a chair, with a person sitting and reading a book. The dappled sunlight created a serene and peaceful atmosphere.

Looking at the calm figure, Qian Ye felt his heart calm, all unease and restlessness dissipated, leaving him feeling as if he could absorb the sunlight.

Seeing her, Qian Ye felt joy, the joy of meeting an old friend. Though she did not look up and her appearance seemed to have changed, Qian Ye instinctively knew it was Tianqing Ji. There was a mysterious connection between them, allowing Qian Ye to sense her presence.

Tianqing Ji, knowing Qian Ye had arrived, raised her head and smiled serenely.

She had only lightly applied makeup, a touch of red on her lips, and her appearance, though not breathtaking, was charming in its simplicity. The longer one looked, the more captivating she became, and in this scene, this setting, her beauty was the perfect match.

When Qian Ye looked again, he was startled, his gaze falling on Tianqing Ji’s abdomen. It was noticeably swollen, even the loose outer robe could not hide it, clearly indicating she was pregnant and might deliver soon.

After a moment, Qian Ye quickly averted his gaze, saying, “Congratulations!”

Tianqing Ji looked at Qian Ye with a half-smile and said, “What do you congratulate me for?”

“Isn’t it because you are about to become a mother? Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl? Regardless, after the baby is born, let me be the godfather!” Qian Ye said with a smile.

Among his former comrades, Tianqing Ji was the youngest, and yet she was the first to have a child.

Unexpectedly, Tianqing Ji covered her mouth and laughed, shaking her head.

Qian Ye felt a bit embarrassed, realizing he had been too excited. Now, being rejected, he felt awkward. He had spoken sincerely, not just for show. Even if he couldn’t be the godfather, he should still give a gift, but checking himself, he found he had little suitable to give a child.

As he fumbled, Tianqing Ji gently smiled and gestured to him, saying, “Come here.”

Qian Ye hesitated, then walked over. Tianqing Ji took his hand and placed it on her abdomen, saying, “Feel and see if it’s a boy or a girl.”

This intimate gesture, while sudden, was not unnatural, and Qian Ye, caught off guard, allowed her to hold his hand, gently pressing it against her belly. Through the thin fabric, Qian Ye could feel the warmth of her skin and the movements of the fetus. A tiny foot playfully kicked his palm.

The scene seemed incredibly warm, but Qian Ye was confused, feeling overly intimate. It even brought back memories of the forced intimacy in the Great Maelstrom, which he had long buried deep in his memory.

Qian Ye tried to withdraw his hand, but Tianqing Ji held it firmly. Afraid of hurting her and the baby, he did not dare to pull away, but complying with her request was impossible.

Just as his mind was in turmoil, Tianqing Ji bit her lower lip and said, “So, do you still want to be the godfather?”