Qi Yuan: You Want to Be My Bodyguard?

In the end, Canary still put on the school uniform. However, when Qi Yuan escorted her to school, she glared angrily at him. "Nobody is even wearing one, okay? It wasn't needed at all!" Looking like this, she was quite adorable. Qi Yuan stroked Canary's hair and said dotingly, "It comes in handy once in a while." Indeed, when a girl was petite and delicate, even her anger looked adorable in others' eyes. Canary's face flushed crimson in an instant. "This young lady is going to class!" She scurried off. Qi Yuan watched her retreating figure, the fondness in his gaze not fading in the slightest. Only when her figure vanished completely from sight did Qi Yuan prepare to head home to practice martial arts. His phone screen lit up with a notification. It was a message from Canary: *This young lady will not wear a school uniform at night!* Qi Yuan chuckled foolishly at the text on his phone screen. "Study hard and strive to get into a doctoral program." Having sent the reply, Qi Yuan turned to leave. Just then, a hand suddenly gripped his arm tightly. Canary, who was supposed to be in class, had materialized out of nowhere. Looking up, she gazed at Qi Yuan pitifully. "Blood Pearl, this young lady... doesn't want to go to school." She clung to his arm very tightly, as though terrified that the moment she let go, Qi Yuan would vanish into thin air. Right now, Canary was like an insecure little kitten, exceptionally clingy. "As expected, nobody likes going to school. Only after graduating and working do people ever miss their school days," Qi Yuan sighed softly. Of course, what people missed more was certain people from their school days. For Qi Yuan, though, those people were no different from NPCs in this world. Canary looked at Qi Yuan with a pleading gaze. "What if this young lady crafts a puppet to attend classes in my place? What do you think?" "Sure." Qi Yuan reached out and took Canary's cool little hand firmly in his palm. When he played games and ventured into unfamiliar maps, he had Xiao Jia by his side. Canary had left Mount Jiupan and left the Liufeng Realm; she had no one close to her other than him. "Yay!" Canary bounced with joy, her face brimming with smiles. "Quick, lower your head! This young lady will reward you with a kiss!" "Why don't you tiptoe?" Qi Yuan said dotingly, yet he still lowered his head. Tenderness brushed against him, like a gentle, cool night breeze. Qi Yuan scooped Canary into his arms, and the two vanished into the crowd. At the school gates, voices murmured: "Did my eyes play tricks on me? There was clearly a gorgeous couple standing right there a second ago, and one was in a school uniform." "I saw them too! I was just getting ready to snap a picture. How did they vanish?" "You two whacked off too much and started seeing things, didn't you?" ... Within the stronghold in the Yellow Springs World. Qi Yuan surveyed the stone chamber, curiosity in his eyes. These days, he had been diligently cultivating, either the Martial Dao or the Immortal Dao. To him, progress in both was fairly mediocre. Between cultivation sessions, he also kept company with Canary and Xiao Jia, taking the earth as their bed and the sky as their blanket as they traveled across rivers, mountains, and all eight wildernesses. Occasionally, he would pretend to be a college student and attend university lectures with Canary. After all, they couldn't just let the puppet attend lectures to skate by for credits forever. Finally, several months passed. The Yellow Springs World's task finally arrived. Waiting in the stone chamber, Qi Yuan suddenly struck out. A flash of reddish-gold light swept across and struck the stone table. In this strike, Qi Yuan unleashed the combat power of an ordinary Origin Core expert. Yet beneath the strike, the stone table did not budge an inch. "Sure enough, I'm still too weak right now to break this stone table." Seeing this, Qi Yuan didn't test it further and walked out of his room. The stronghold was the same as before; occasionally, a few humans could be seen drifting about. In bamboo pavilions, men and women in various revealing, sensual garments swayed their figures, flirting with passersby. Qi Yuan glanced over, utterly indifferent. Not far away, An Qiao came over, leading her trail-tracking hound on a leash. Her expression held a joyful look. "I didn't expect the two of us would be on a task together this time." An Qiao was naturally thrilled; tasks carried a rather high mortality rate. Qi Yuan was capable of slaying Jade-Blood Realm great demons, making him one of the powerhouses in this stronghold. "There are others on this task as well. Where are they?" Qi Yuan asked. According to the prompt, this task was a group task with over twenty participants. "They're probably from other strongholds. Once we reach the task location, we'll see them," An Qiao answered truthfully, then added, "Mr. Qi, we need to stay vigilant around people from other strongholds!" They carried out tasks, working together to complete them and obtain rewards. Yet human hearts were unpredictable. Aside from the task rewards, the other participants were also juicy prizes in the eyes of fellow task-goers. "When we enter the game, will we replace other NPCs?" Qi Yuan asked. Last time, he had replaced a gambling-addicted butcher. And as a result, he had ended up with a child bride naturally gifted with the Saintly Physique of Easy Matrimony. "The first time you enter, you replace someone else. But afterward... everyone enters with the identity of the Demon Suppression Division!" An Qiao explained carefully. "Interesting. Doesn't that mean this Demon Suppression Division... is an official organization that spans multiple worlds?" Qi Yuan murmured. "Mr. Qi, if you're prepared, shall we begin the task?" An Qiao asked. She also wanted to finish the task quickly. "Wait a moment. Let me pick up a few things," Qi Yuan said. He crouched down, gathered dirt, grass, and pebbles from the ground, and stored them in his blood-qi space. Seeing this, An Qiao gave him a puzzled look. "What are you picking those up for?" "For my wife to research. She's about to be a PhD, so maybe she can figure out a way to enter this place. That way, she can accompany me down to the task worlds." Qi Yuan hid nothing. He intended to hand the pebbles and soil gathered here over to Canary to study. Hearing Qi Yuan's words, An Qiao couldn't help but chuckle. "Everyone in the world fears the Yellow Springs World like a demon, yet you're actually willing to let your wife come down here to accompany you." "Having been separated from her for too long, I just want to stay together all the time," Qi Yuan said casually as he picked up a stick from the ground. A flash of envy passed through An Qiao's eyes. "Then I wish your wife quick success in figuring out how to enter and leave the Yellow Springs World." Of course, An Qiao didn't actually believe Qi Yuan's wife could crack it. The Yellow Springs World was bizarre beyond measure. Over all these years, countless formidable figures had emerged within it, encompassing virtually all the elites of Arch Star across the past ten thousand years. Yet not one of them had ever discovered a way to enter and leave freely. Their arrivals and departures were dictated entirely by the Yellow Springs World. "Mm," Qi Yuan nodded. With Canary's strength, combined with his eyes that could see hidden information, he actually possessed a sliver of confidence when it came to researching the Yellow Springs World. After a few dozen breaths, Qi Yuan gathered quite a few samples and stuffed them all into his blood-qi space. "All right, we can go complete the task now." "Okay," An Qiao said. The two arrived at the very center of the stronghold, where a circular millstone-like platform spanned over a hundred square meters. Simply stepping onto it would provide the task prompt and transport them into the task. Without any hesitation, Qi Yuan stepped onto the platform. Instantly, space began to spin. This rotation seemed to possess no duration, concluding in a single instant. Qi Yuan hurried to listen closely, hoping to catch some sound, but perhaps because the time was too brief, he heard nothing. By the time he came to his senses, he abruptly found himself in a space radiating a faint glow. This space appeared to be suspended in midair. Right now, he and An Qiao seemed to be standing upon clouds. The game's notification chime rang in Qi Yuan's ears at that moment: [Fengyuan governs the world through filial piety. Thirty years after the dynasty's founding, great chaos erupted in the north as demon clans ran rampant, feeding on humans. The Northern Lands' prominent clans suffered unspeakable misery and fled south one after another. Zhenyang City lies in the Northern Lands, besieged by the demons. The aristocratic Tong clan has had single-heir lineages for seven generations. In the third month, the demon clans launched a massive assault on the city, inflicting countless casualties. The Tong clan's direct grandson, Tong Tianyou, was captured by the demons. Task: Find Tong Tianyou and investigate the cause of death of his father, Tong Youwei. Reward: Ancestor Return Pill.] "It's actually an Ancestor Return Pill!" An Qiao couldn't help exclaiming, evidently having learned the task reward. "Oh? Is this pill very impressive?" Qi Yuan asked, scanning the space at the same time. Around them stood over a dozen people, all blood martial artists exuding formidable auras. Most, however, were in the Qi-Blood Realm, with only a scant few in the Jade-Blood Realm. These were all participants undertaking the task alongside them. Before An Qiao could answer, a bald man spoke up: "The strength of us blood martial artists depends on the purity of our bloodlines. The stronger our ancestors' bloodlines and the higher our bloodline purity, the greater our talent and potential. An Ancestor Return Pill allows us to glimpse a wisp of our ancestor's true intent in the unseen depths, thereby elevating our bloodline purity." Seeing the bald man, a wary look entered An Qiao's eyes. She continued, "The higher one's bloodline talent, the greater the effect of the Ancestor Return Pill. Conversely, if one's bloodline talent is low, an Ancestor Return Pill can't even compare to a Body-Tempering Blood Pill." The bald man looked at the two of them and continued, "If you two manage to survive and complete the task, I am willing to purchase your Ancestor Return Pills at a high price." "There's no need. The Ancestor Return Pill is of great use to us as well," An Qiao promptly declined. The bald man chuckled, then turned to look at Qi Yuan with keen interest. "I heard Brother Chen Fan perished in the previous task, and his belongings... were acquired by a newcomer named Qi Yuan. Might you happen to be that person?" Within the strongholds, there were special means of communication. Furthermore, those of sufficient strength could traverse the sea of fog to visit other strongholds. "Oh? What of it?" Qi Yuan looked at the bald man, feeling he resembled a braised egg. "Would you be willing to transfer the Genius Alliance entry token to me? If you give it to me, I will guarantee your safety during this task!" the bald man said solemnly. He had always wanted to join the Genius Alliance, but unfortunately, his talent had failed to catch their eye. If he obtained the Genius Alliance token, he could join that formidable organization and leave this backwater behind for a major stronghold, free from worrying about when the stronghold might be swallowed by fierce beasts in the sea. "Protect me? Your strength... seems a bit lacking," Qi Yuan said with disdain. He looked down on the Genius Alliance entry token, but he wouldn't part with it casually either. As for this man protecting him, he didn't believe it for a second. "I am a middle-stage Jade-Blood Realm expert, a mere step from the late stage. Ensuring your safety is entirely within my power," the bald man stated with absolute confidence. Right then, a menacing voice boomed out. "Yang Guang, that Genius Alliance entry token is mine!" A bearded man strode over, reeking of blood. Seeing the bearded man, the expressions of everyone present changed slightly. "Blood Demon Hand Zhou Yuan!" "It's actually him! This brute is in our party?!" "We're doomed. They say this guy frequently preys on his teammates!" Seeing Zhou Yuan, the task participants all showed immense apprehension, subconsciously taking a step back to distance themselves from him. The bald Yang Guang's gaze was wary. "Zhou Yuan, business follows first come, first served. Besides, this little brother hasn't decided to trade with me yet. If you want to trade, you can offer a high price, and the two of us can bid for it." A flash of disdain crossed Zhou Yuan's eyes. "He isn't worthy to trade with me. If not for you being here... I would've just robbed him already." At those words, everyone present witnessed Zhou Yuan's overbearing nature. However, Zhou Yuan truly had the right to be arrogant. His strength was the highest among everyone here—late-stage Jade-Blood Realm. Beside them, Qi Yuan smiled upon seeing this. "Yang Guang, didn't you want to be my bodyguard? Chase Zhou Yuan away first. Let me see whether your strength qualifies you to keep me safe." In entering the game world, Qi Yuan had tasks to perform and substitute white moonlights to meet. Having an extra helper was a good thing. As for trading away the Genius Alliance token, so be it. The only pity was that he hadn't given any benefits to Luo Bufan. In the real world, Luo Bufan's family lineage hadn't survived either. Hearing Qi Yuan's words, Yang Guang beamed with delight. A powerful, domineering aura erupted from him. "Zhou Yuan, I'm protecting this little brother now. Back off, or else..." Zhou Yuan grinned and licked his lips. "Heh heh, I'll leave right now." Having said that, Zhou Yuan walked straight away. Seeing this, An Qiao looked utterly baffled. "Does this guy have a screw loose?" Yang Guang hastily spread his hands. "He's not a shill of mine! Zhou Yuan has always been like this. He genuinely seems to have something wrong in the head!" He was afraid Qi Yuan would misunderstand and think he and Zhou Yuan were putting on a double act. "He does have something seriously wrong with him; he's mentally unstable." A strange light flashed in Qi Yuan's eyes. [Zhou Yuan: Late-stage Jade-Blood Realm martial artist. Due to consuming too many Ancestor Return Pills, his bloodline has been overly influenced by his ancestors, resulting in drastic personality shifts and erratic behavior.] "What a pity Doctor Zhong Niao isn't here; otherwise, she could issue him a mental disability certificate," Qi Yuan muttered, then asked Yang Guang, "Does consuming too many Ancestor Return Pills cause one to be influenced by their ancestors?" "Usually not," Yang Guang replied. But recalling something, he added with a serious face, "A small portion might. After all, some bloodline progenitors merely treat their descendants as nourishment. If someone runs into that situation, they must undergo blood replacement to change their fate." "So that's how it is," Qi Yuan murmured. Truth be told, he now wanted to see who the bloodline ancestor of this body was. He looked at Yang Guang and continued, "In this task, I plan to hunt some demons and obtain demon essence blood. Is your strength... sufficient to keep me safe?" "Sufficient! Absolutely sufficient! With me around, you're guaranteed to return with a bountiful harvest!" Yang Guang thumped his chest and promised. Demon essence blood could enhance strength, but what any individual could absorb was limited. Even with Blood-Calming Pills, one couldn't consume too much. Yang Guang assumed that with Qi Yuan's strength, the demon essence blood obtained from hunting an early-stage Jade-Blood Realm demon would be more than enough for his needs. "That's great. I'll be troubling you then, Brother Yang Guang." Qi Yuan smiled cheerfully. Entering the game this time, he had an enforcer and could slack off. Yang Guang nodded with supreme confidence. It seemed the Genius Alliance entry token would definitely be his this time; the only thing he needed to watch out for was Zhou Yuan, who might strike from the shadows. After a few more exchanges, the clouds in midair flashed with light. The nearly twenty people present finally arrived in the task world. ... The Tong family, situated in the center of Zhenyang City, was a prominent aristocratic clan famed throughout the city. The late Old Master Tong had served in the Central Secretariat as a third-rank Secretariat Supervisor, holding high status and immense authority. However, after he retired from office, before his political legacy could even be utilized, chaos engulfed the Northern Lands. Countless aristocratic and noble clans fled south in droves. Zhenyang City, however, occupied a peculiar location: lying directly before it was Mount Shuyao. The terrain of this mountain was treacherous, making large-scale migration impractical. More importantly, Mount Shuyao teemed with demons, chief among them a Demon Hero. This Demon Hero possessed grand ambitions, having unified the three thousand demons of Mount Shuyao, established a demon fortress, and trained demon soldiers. The three cities of Zhenyang, Hengyang, and Qishui were all besieged by Mount Shuyao. The Tong family's grandson had been abducted by the demons of Mount Shuyao. Outside the Tong family estate, Qi Yuan yawned, dressed in the uniform of the Demon Suppression Division. Yang Guang produced an official token and looked down at the trembling waiter before him, his voice commanding. "What of Tong Youwei? In which year did he pass away?" Upon entering the task world, Yang Guang intended to start by investigating the Tong family's affairs through local passersby before stepping inside the Tong residence. The waiter was an elderly man with graying hair and a hunched back, appearing less than five feet tall. "Reporting to Your Honors, Master Tong Youwei died three years ago, suffering a sudden death in the Tong family courtyard. Word has it his death was exceedingly gruesome—his entire heart was gouged out! Everyone says it was the work of demons. What a sin!" When mentioning demons, resentment filled the waiter's eyes, as though the monsters had devoured his own family. "His heart was gouged out?" Yang Guang frowned. The waiter went on: "Pity poor Old Master Tong and Old Madam Tong. Their Tong family has had single heirs for seven generations, and they doted dearly on Master Tong Youwei. On the day he died, Old Madam Tong's hair turned white overnight, aging her by over ten years." "Did the Tong family ever find out which demon was responsible?" Yang Guang asked. "How could the Tong family dare investigate? Even if they found out, would they... actually dare march up Mount Shuyao to demand justice?" The waiter shook his head, lamentation written across his decrepit, aged face. Yang Guang narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. Right then, Qi Yuan spoke up: "Let's go. We'll head into the Tong residence to see what clues there are." Yang Guang nodded. An Qiao, leading her trail-tracking hound, also headed toward the Tong manor. By now, quite a few of their fellow task-goers had already entered the Tong estate. Thus, the arrival of the three people and one dog was completely unimpeded. Welcoming the trio was an elderly steward of the Tong estate. "With his grandson abducted by demons, the master has fallen ill from worry and is bedridden, unable to receive guests. I hope you will forgive us." The steward was quite aged, his gait unsteady. "Where did Tong Youwei live? Take us to have a look," Qi Yuan asked casually, scanning the Tong estate. Their tasks were twofold: find Tong Tianyou, and investigate the truth behind Tong Youwei's death. Tong Tianyou had been taken by the demons, so finding him was simple and direct—just make a trip up Mount Shuyao. The truth of Tong Youwei's death, on the other hand, required investigation. "About that... after the Eldest Young Master passed away, a sudden fire broke out in the courtyard where he resided, burning it to the ground. Nothing remained," the steward answered. "What about his wife?" Qi Yuan asked further. "Alas... while giving birth to the Little Young Master... difficult labor..." The steward sighed mournfully. "Rumors outside say Tong Youwei was killed by demons. What kind of demon was it, exactly?" Yang Guang asked. The steward shook his head hastily. "This humble one knows not. The county magistrate sent men to investigate as well, but found nothing, merely concluding it was the malice of demons." "Where is your Eldest Young Master buried?" Yang Guang asked again. It seemed they would have to open the coffin and examine the corpse. "This..." The steward wore a conflicted look. "Do Your Honors intend to inspect the body? The previous gentlemen had the same thought, but... you may come away disappointed. After the Eldest Young Master was buried, a demonic disturbance struck the graveyard, and his body... was stolen." "Ah?" An Qiao gasped in surprise. "This matter is exceedingly strange!" Yang Guang narrowed his eyes, catching onto something. Tong Youwei's death was definitely not simple. His residence burned down, his corpse stolen. If there were only one coincidence, that would be one thing, but one after another meant it was no coincidence at all. It indicated that behind the scenes, a hidden hand was concealing something. "Brother Qi, what do you think?" Yang Guang looked at Qi Yuan. "Based on my years of experience watching television, whenever a body can't be found, it's usually a faked death!" Qi Yuan answered solemnly. That was how TV shows always played it. Not to mention things like shoving an enemy off a ten-thousand-fathom cliff or piercing their heart... yet the enemy still survived. That was why when Qi Yuan killed someone, he made sure to grind their bones to dust and scatter their ashes, witnessing their death with his own eyes before being satisfied. "Still, if the game settings say he's dead, then he's dead." Qi Yuan didn't feel like arguing lore with the game designers. Yang Guang couldn't help smiling, in full agreement with Qi Yuan's point. He turned back to the steward. "Did Tong Youwei have any enemies in Zhenyang City?" "The Eldest Young Master was kind-hearted and gentle. He never made enemies and rarely went outside. He had no foes!" the steward stated with conviction. *Right, a gentle shut-in otaku, was he?* Indeed... he wouldn't have many enemies. After all, there was no internet here to flame each other online. "Then how was the relationship between Tong Youwei and your master?" Qi Yuan suddenly asked. "The master and madam doted on the Eldest Young Master beyond measure. Back when he contracted a burning fever and fell unconscious, the madam personally went to Wangshan Temple to beg for blessed water. She kowtowed with every step across seven hundred and sixty-two stone stairs, finally pleading the holy monk into taking action to cure his illness. This matter is well known throughout the Northern Lands. In Zhenyang City, ask anyone on the street, and they'll tell you that our master and madam loved the Eldest Young Master most in the world, wishing they could pluck the very sun from the sky to give him." The steward's expression grew desolate as he spoke. "After the Eldest Young Master passed, the health of the master and madam deteriorated day by day. Were it not for the Little Young Master, I fear... sigh. If the Little Young Master cannot return this time, the Tong family's lineage... will be extinguished. Respected officers, you must bring the Little Young Master back safely!" The steward seemed deeply empathetic toward his master, his old eyes misting over. At that moment, Yang Guang transmitted his voice: "Are this steward's words trustworthy or not?" "Mm... what he said is true, but whether he held anything back is another story," Qi Yuan replied honestly. Just now, while the steward spoke, his nose hadn't grown longer. That meant the steward wasn't lying to him. "Then what do we do now?" Yang Guang asked. "Let's go see their master," Qi Yuan replied. After all, Old Master Tong, as the head of the house, undoubtedly knew the most. And since Qi Yuan could verify whether someone was lying, he wasn't afraid of Old Master Tong deceiving him. Although everyone claimed Tong Youwei had been killed by demons, it was also possible... he had been murdered by Old Master Tong. After all, anything was possible. However, just as they were following the steward toward Old Master Tong's residence, an overbearing voice rang out ahead: "Your peach fuzz hasn't even grown in, yet you dare pry into my affairs? We of the Demon Suppression Division came here to investigate the Tong family matter. A mere county magistrate wanting to see me? He'll have to come invite me in person!" As the voice fell, the man lashed out with a kick, sending a tender-looking yamen runner flying. The youthful runner sprawled on the ground clutching his stomach, his face contorted in agony, yet he didn't dare utter a single objection. "This runner is so young, looking not even fourteen. For that man to strike so ruthlessly is truly abominable!" An Qiao couldn't help saying. Yang Guang also frowned and rushed over, helping up the runner who still looked like a child. He was, after all, a warm-hearted sort. Yang Guang glared at the attacker, his eyes unfriendly. "Even though we are here on a task, they are living, breathing human beings!" Seeing Yang Guang, the attacker was clearly intimidated by his strength and promptly lowered his head. "This was my fault!" In the Yellow Springs World, strength reigned supreme. He didn't dare offend Yang Guang, so lowering his head to admit fault was nothing. Nearby, Qi Yuan gazed at the crown of Yang Guang's head. As the sunlight poured down upon it, Qi Yuan couldn't resist remarking, "His braised egg is really shiny."