The Emperor's Domineering Favor, the Evil Consort's Unparalleled Reign

Yin Huan quickly pulled Ying Li into her arms. The woman's originally clear eyes and indifferent face suddenly became blurred, making it impossible to see her true appearance or find the answer.

"Who exactly are you? It seems to be you both times. Is such great power a blessing or a curse for you?" Yin Huan said softly, carefully protecting Ying Li's head, which was tilted back, against her chest.

"Thump thump thump!" Another rapid, frantic heartbeat echoed. Yin Huan smiled wryly. What was causing this intense nervousness?!

"Swish, swish, swish!" A burst of spiritual energy rang out in the clear forest. The gentle breeze that had been so delicate and soft just moments before suddenly transformed into swords, cutting through people's skin and causing them discomfort.

Yin Huan's expression suddenly turned cold. He hugged Ying Li tighter and fled with lightning speed, finding a small cave in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. He carefully placed Ying Li inside the cave, and after confirming that there was no danger, he covered Ying Li with his silver cloak, then took out the black brocade from his waist and placed it in Ying Li's palm. Finally, he set up a thick barrier around the cave before leaving.

Before leaving, Yin Huan glanced back at Ying Li, who was still unconscious, and smiled slightly. The smile was tinged with bitterness, as if he was used to this bitterness. He clenched his right hand and ran toward the "swish swish swish" sound.

There were three people who made the "swish, swish, swish" sound. One had clear features and wore a simple gray robe. He seemed ordinary, but his eyes were bright and he exuded a unique sense of menace. The other two were dressed in blue. One was shorter but had a strong lower body, suggesting a stable stance and swift tracking ability. The last one had a rounded waist and arms, as if he had practiced some powerful martial arts.

The three stood respectfully where Yin Huan and Ying Li had been, waiting silently. Only after Yin Huan appeared did they bow respectfully and say in unison, "Greetings, Young Master!"

Yin Huan's face was as cold as ice. He looked at the three men bowing in unison with disdain, as if they harbored some grudge and he didn't want to pay them any attention. The gray-clad leader seemed equally unfazed, looking at Yin Huan and saying, "Young Master, we just sensed something amiss at the Mistress's Manor. We initially thought it was an attack from the foreign realm, but it turns out it was you, Young Master. Since we've met you, why don't you come back with us? Our master is getting impatient waiting at home."

Her words were perfectly impeccable, and Yin Huan gave a cold laugh, "An alien invasion? You've only just arrived. If I were to die, wouldn't you be overjoyed? You want me to go back? You're dreaming!"

He simply wouldn't fall for their act. They might say nice things, but when he activated the formation, these people were secretly watching from the shadows. His father had truly trained a group of excellent subordinates.

“Young Master, we are completely incapable of breaking this great formation. Even if we were to enter, we would likely perish. Our master has repeatedly instructed that no one is allowed to enter the secret passage. We know nothing about the formation itself, and we suppose you were unaware of its secrets before. Now that you are safe and sound, we beg you to punish us for our dereliction of duty. Whether we live or die, we have no complaints. We only ask that you understand our good intentions. We have no choice but to weigh the orders of our master and you. Moreover, with your skill, even if the formation is dangerous, it will not harm you in the slightest.”

The man in gray spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, and Yin Huan, observing his respectful demeanor, remained expressionless. His subordinates were nothing but emotionless walking corpses; arguing with them would be futile.

"I wonder if the young master saw any suspicious people in the great formation? Just now we sensed a terrifying energy blooming in the great formation. In the end, the great formation was destroyed and the power disappeared. We don't know how to investigate. If someone with this power could work for us, it would be a good thing."

Just as Yin Huan was pondering this, the gray-clad man in front of him asked him his worst fears. Ali absolutely could not be discovered by them, or she would likely end up like him, unable to control her own destiny.

"I don't know. If you're curious, go find out for yourselves. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving," Yin Huan said coldly. He then turned and vanished in an instant. He knew how powerful these three were, so his only option was to take them away from here. Otherwise, A-Li would definitely be found by these people, and that would be troublesome.

The man in gray watched Yin Huan leave in a hurry, and became suspicious. He looked toward the cave where Ying Li was, and after a while, he turned around and followed Yin Huan.

About half a day later, Ying Li finally awoke from her unconsciousness. A robe had been draped over her, and although it was late autumn, she didn't feel cold. This was an unfamiliar cave, with a thick barrier outside, clearly created by Yin Huan.

There was something bulging in her palm. Looking down, she saw it was a mysterious brocade capable of holding all things. It casually poured out some things, and Ying Li's eyes nearly popped out of her head in surprise! With just a casual pour, more than twenty top-quality Spirit Gathering Pills came out in one go! Among them were many spirit pearls, spirit herbs, and various rare spiritual medicines that she had never seen before.

What exactly are these?

"Don't think about it anymore. It's all thanks to your dear brother Yin Huan. He's in some trouble and has already left. Now it's just the two of us, relying on each other. Aren't you a little disappointed?" The alluring man's voice rang out at the right moment, the sourness in his tone irresistible to Ying Li, even if she wanted to ignore it.

The thought of Yin Huan leaving filled Ying Li with a strange, inexplicable feeling. Her throat tightened, and she felt a tightness in her chest. Even looking at the precious Xuanjin brocade, she lost all interest.

"Hey, hey, hey! That kid's gone, why are you so distraught? He's not your man, you little girl, are you suddenly smitten?! You need to remember, I'm your man. If it weren't for me, you and that Yin Huan wouldn't have escaped. Cheer up, there's less than a year until the intermediate disciple assessment at Bixia Palace. If you don't pass, your family will be in trouble!" The alluring man reminded Ying Li, seeing that she wasn't happy.

Yin Huan has a powerful background. If Ying Li's small family were to become involved with him, it would be a blessing or a curse. Some people are simply not meant to be coveted by ordinary people; Ying Li should realize this as soon as possible. She'd better see that she and Yin Huan are not on the same path. Yin Huan has done enough for her; he's been quite generous. But since he's abandoned her, it proves that in Yin Huan's heart, Ying Li is no longer suitable to be by his side.

Ying Li listened with her head down as the alluring man finished speaking, and her understanding deepened. Although she was still young, Ying Li wasn't petty; she could distinguish right from wrong. After all, she had died once and been betrayed countless times.

"Brother Yin Huan, thank you. If Ying Li can see you again, I will thank you in person. If we are not destined to be together, please don't blame A Li. Life is long, and I may forget you..."

Ying Li murmured to herself, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. She dusted off her silver coat and carefully put it into her black brocade. Her mind was no longer clear, but her face remained calm and composed.

"Girl, go find something to eat first. You haven't had a proper meal in days. These unpleasant things can usually be resolved with a good meal." Seeing Ying Li's expression, the alluring man knew she was somewhat disappointed. After all, being abandoned is never a pleasant experience.

Ying Li nodded, walked out of the cave, glanced at what appeared to be a small village in the distance, and began to walk towards it. He considered Yin Huan's mystery a dream, but the concepts of spirit masters and spirit guides were deeply etched in Ying Li's heart. How wonderful it would be to see such powerful spirit masters, and how wonderful it would be if he could learn their skills so he could better protect his family.

It's just a thought for now; whether he can become a spirit mage remains to be seen, depending on fate. The alluring man looked back at the cave, his mind racing. If he wasn't mistaken, this place should be very close to a location that could help Ying Li cultivate. This little girl has too many things on her plate, and his plans to help her cultivate have been repeatedly disrupted. Now, with the year's deadline approaching, he wanted to properly plan for her.

The village wasn't far; they arrived in less than an hour. Ying Li looked at the simple village, which was nowhere near as beautiful as Ye Lingcheng, but its cleanliness and simplicity were commendable. Her stomach rumbled, and Ying Li wanted to find a teahouse to warm herself up with a bowl of hot noodles. However, before she even reached the teahouse, she saw a group of people gathered around the village, making a commotion, as if there was something tempting in the center. Everyone was pushing and shoving forward.

Yingli, filled with curiosity, also craned her neck to look ahead. After squeezing her way to the front, she saw a notice posted on the wall. Written in crooked handwriting, it read: The daughter of the village magistrate, Master Hu, was ill. Hearing that there were many medicinal herbs on the north mountain, but they were guarded by demonic beasts, making it difficult to gather them, he had posted this notice, seeking someone in the village with high spiritual power to gather herbs for his daughter. The reward was surprisingly ten high-grade Lingluo grasses.

For such a small village to have a wealthy man who can produce high-grade Lingluo Grass, he must be a prominent family in the village. Even Ying Li's family, the Ying family, only harvests a few hundred high-grade spiritual herbs each year. It's quite remarkable that such a small, simple, and dilapidated village could have such a wealthy family.

Sure enough, because of the reward, many people clamored to sign up, afraid of being left out. Yingli thought to himself, since he was currently in a recuperation phase, he might as well take on a small task to practice. So he shouted to a man dressed as a servant of a wealthy man, "Brother, I want to sign up."

Her words caused a stir among the crowd. The area fell silent as everyone turned to look at the petite, delicate-looking girl. After a moment, a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

"Haha, this girl says she wants to sign up?! She's still a child, yet she's making such a boast."

"If you ask me, she should hurry home and find her father. That mountain north of the mountain is probably too big for her to even climb, yet she wants to sign up to hunt monsters. It's laughable!"