Unrivaled Miracle Doctor: The God-Defying Demonic Consort novel Chapter 538

Chapter 538: Chapter 182: The Little Lord Who Serves with Beauty

Dong dong dong——!

The sound of drums echoed constantly on the Royal Training Grounds of the Holy Yuan Empire.

The expansive Royal Training Grounds, where the Forbidden Guard of the Holy Yuan Empire usually trained, accommodated up to a hundred thousand troops for daily exercises.

A few days ago, the training grounds had been newly arranged, with six massive arenas rising from the ground.

Even if fifty people were competing at the same time on the arena, it wouldn’t feel crowded.

The closest position to the center of the six arenas was also built into a high platform, equipped with seats and fruits, resembling a viewing area.

The high platform was filled with the military flags of the Holy Yuan Empire, while the six arenas were each adorned with the flags of the six countries participating in the first round of the competition.

They were the second-class countries Di Country, Yu Country, and Rong Country, and the third-class countries Qin Country, Li Country, and Yu Country.

Half an hour before the competition was set to begin, the three second-class countries had already arrived at the training grounds, standing before their respective arenas waiting.

The three third-class countries, however, were nowhere to be seen.

After waiting a while, the Rong Country envoy impatiently said, "What are these third-class countries up to? Could they be too afraid to show up?"

Emperor Yuan, Huangfu Haotian, looked down with an inscrutable expression and said, "Be patient; there’s still some time before the competition begins."

With his words, the Rong Country envoy had to fall silent.

On the central high platform sat the factions not needing to compete; in the first row, naturally, sat the Emperor and the Crown Prince of the Holy Yuan Empire. In the second row were representatives from three forces on the Linchuan Continent.

Hei Mu and Lou Xuantie exchanged a look in secret, then parted without a trace.

Yet, at such an important occasion, Taishi Gao was nowhere to be seen.

The four major families of Tiandu sat in the third row, but the younger generation was absent. There was also an empty seat likely reserved for Empress Jiang of the Ancient Witch Country.

As the competition time approached, it was only at the last moment that Mu Qingge arrived leisurely with the people from the third-class countries.

She walked alongside Zhao Nanxing and Feng Yufei, each followed by fifty people. On half of their clothes was written the word ’defense’, and on the other half ’attack’.

The three walked to the front of the high platform and saluted Emperor Yuan, Huangfu Haotian.

"Emperor Yuan, we’re not late, are we?" Mu Qingge asked.

Huangfu Haotian smiled and said, "A bit later, and you would have been."

Mu Qingge smiled slightly, turning to look at the fifty Dragon Tooth Guards standing behind her. Their cold and composed demeanors pleased her. Her gaze shifted lightly to Zhao Nanxing and Feng Yufei. After a slight nod to them, she led the people of Qin Country to their arena.

After she left, Zhao Nanxing and Feng Yufei also led the elites selected from their respective countries toward their own arenas.

Mu Qingge had suggested using Dragon Tooth Guards in place of their people for the competition. However, her proposal was unanimously refused by them both.

Their reasoning was well-founded, making it difficult for Mu Qingge to argue.

Zhao Nanxing said it was a rare opportunity to exchange skills; if not cherished, the trip would be in vain.

Feng Yufei said that since it’s a point-accumulating competition, there was no need for Mu Qingge to take action all the time; the first round was crucial for training, and the points would eventually come.

Since both insisted, Mu Qingge naturally wouldn’t force it.

The Dragon Tooth Guards were her trusted aides; they shouldn’t have been on the stage. Those on stage should be the Qin Country soldiers who came with her. However, even the thousand people Qin Jinchen assigned to her were considered Qin Country elites, yet they could not contend with the elites of the second-class countries; their role was more to make up numbers.

Mu Qingge was confident that if these people got on the stage, they would face disqualification frequently. And Qin Jinchen’s goal for her was to ensure Qin Country secured a place to enter the Ancient Ruins.

Since the goal was set, she had to win.

Since Qin Jinchen’s people were inadequate, she used her own; after all, they were all Qin Country soldiers, weren’t they?

Mu Qingge led her people to the front of the arena, and Jiang Li also arrived leisurely.

Upon her arrival, instead of heading to the high platform, she walked toward Mu Qingge.

"You don’t need to personally compete in this round, do you?" Jiang Li asked Mu Qingge.

Mu Qingge nodded.

Jiang Li immediately smiled, her golden eyes gleaming like a crescent moon: "Good, then accompany me to sit. Otherwise, facing that crowd for seven days and nights would bore me to death."

"Alright." Mu Qingge agreed without refusal.

After arranging her fifty people, she followed Jiang Li up to the viewing platform.

Although Zhao Nanxing and Feng Yufei refused her assistance, since she brought them here, she naturally helped where she could. Her order for the attacking Dragon Tooth Guards was that if the second-class countries oppressed Li Country or Yu Country, have them suspended for a cycle.

Mu Qingge followed Jiang Li up the platform, drawing numerous gazes.

Since returning from the Li Palace that day, she hadn’t left her chambers.

The past few days, invitations from various families had been continuously sent to the third-class country post houses, but without response.

Seeing Mu Qingge today, the heads of the other three families, except for the Lan Family, smiled at her kindly.

Mu Qingge slightly nodded, following Jiang Li to the seat of the Ancient Witch Country.

As soon as they sat down, Jiang Li asked, "I heard the younger generation from the four major families will form a team to join in this time?"

Mu Qingge nodded.

Jiang Li frowned slightly, "What madness drives them?" She looked around but did not see the disciples of the four families and asked curiously, "Where are they?"

Mu Qingge explained, "They’re participating in the second and third rounds, not the first."

Jiang Li blinked, comprehending and nodded.

As they conversed, the competition on the arenas had already begun.

The attack and defense sides commenced their respective duties.

Mu Qingge watched for a while and felt that the Qin Country side shouldn’t have any problems.

After all, the current Dragon Tooth Guards were not what they used to be. Initially, they were at the Red and Orange Realms, but now they had advanced to the Green and Blue Realms, and some have even entered the Purple Realm.

With such strength, battling the second-class country’s Green and Blue Realm individuals shouldn’t pose any issue.

However, while Qin Country had no concerns, it was different for Li Country and Yu Country.

The second-class country people had more at the Green Realm, fewer at the Blue Realm, with occasional Blue Realm individuals.

On the other hand, Li Country and Yu Country had more at the Blue Realm, fewer at the Green Realm, and none at the Blue Realm.

The difference in realms, coupled with the martial arts levels practiced, doomed these two countries to a particularly tough seven days.

Yet, if they managed to endure these seven days, the participants in this competition would receive a qualitative leap in growth.

"Why don’t you let your people substitute for Li Country and Yu Country in the competition?" Jiang Li asked.

Mu Qingge’s lips curled slightly, "They refused."

Jiang Li’s eyes brightened, and her golden gaze laughed like a crescent moon: "They’ve got some spirit, it seems."

The competition continued on the arenas, and time ticked away.

By noon, most people in the stands had gotten up and left. The seven-day and night competition didn’t require their constant presence.

Jiang Li reached out and poked Mu Qingge on the arm, suggesting, "Shall we go grab something to eat first?"

Mu Qingge’s gaze swept over the solemn Zhao Nanxing and Feng Yufei standing at the edge of the arena, slowly shaking her head, "I won’t go."

Jiang Li was about to say something, but at that moment, she sensed someone approaching them.

Mu Qingge and Jiang Li simultaneously looked up. Upon seeing the visitor, they were somewhat surprised—Xue Qiong had come.

Xue Qiong stood before them, smiling, with a refined and handsome demeanor. "Empress Jiang, Lord Mu Qingge, would you do me the honor of letting Xue Qiong host you for an evening?"

Mu Qingge’s clear eyes slightly flickered, and she readily stood up, "Alright."

Xue Qiong would never seek her out without a reason, perhaps it was related to her aunt. With this thought in mind, Mu Qingge accepted Xue Qiong’s invitation.

Since Mu Qingge agreed, Jiang Li naturally did not object.

Upon leaving, Mu Qingge gave Zhao Nanxing some instructions before departing with Xue Qiong.

Xue Qiong did not take them to any lavish place; he instead chose a nearby, quietly elegant restaurant in the marketplace nearest to the training ground and led them into a private room.

Upon entering the private room, Mu Qingge and Jiang Li saw the table filled with dishes.

The dishes were exquisite and mild, fitting the taste of the people of Yu Country. However, for someone like Mu Qingge, who prefers spicy food, they seemed somewhat bland.

Upon seeing the table full of dishes, Mu Qingge realized that Xue Qiong’s invitation was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

After taking their seats, Xue Qiong gestured for the waiter to bring a few more dishes.

These dishes were all somewhat spicy, and they were placed directly in front of Mu Qingge.

"Qin Country favors spicy food, yet I shy away from spicy flavors. These dishes are the only spicy options at this restaurant; I wonder if they suit your taste, Lord Mu Qingge," Xue Qiong explained.

In agreeing to dine with Xue Qiong, Mu Qingge’s goal was not actually to eat.

The type of dishes served really didn’t matter.

Thus, she simply nodded in agreement, politely saying, "Thank you for your efforts, Prime Minister Xue."

Xue Qiong smiled slightly, appearing quite courteous. He then turned to Jiang Li, "The Ancient Witch Country is by the sea, pursuing freshness in cuisine, which is quite similar to Yu Country’s preferences."

Jiang Li, while talkative with Mu Qingge, maintained a somewhat aloof demeanor with unfamiliar people.

Xue Qiong’s words only prompted her to glance at him, and she was so sparing that she didn’t even bother to offer a single word in response.

Fortunately, Xue Qiong didn’t mind, inviting them to start eating and personally pouring wine for both of them.

After some casual conversation, Xue Qiong finally set down his chopsticks and got to the point. "To be frank, by the time I left Yu Country, my family had already received a letter from my seventh brother, Xue Qiao. The letter mentioned his marriage to Lord Mu Qingge’s aunt, as well as the wedding presided over by Empress Jiang in the Ancient Witch Country."

Jiang Li set down her chopsticks, speaking indifferently, "No need to thank me; I did it for Qingge’s sake."

Xue Qiong smiled again but did not respond to that.

Jiang Li’s meaning was clear to him—the relationship between her and Mu Qingge was indeed extraordinary!

Mu Qingge also set down her chopsticks, picked up a handkerchief, and wiped the corner of her mouth. She casually asked, "What does the Xue Family think of this marriage?"

Xue Qiong smiled faintly and did not answer immediately.

He paused as if weighing his words, then eventually said, "Lord Mu Qingge is a smart person; I won’t use ornamental words to obscure the truth. To be honest, when my father first received the letter from my seventh brother, he was furious. Although my seventh brother is not fond of literature, he is a rare genius within the Xue Family, and the family had high hopes for him. But who could have imagined that he would return from his travels with a bride? And this bride not only hails from a third-class country but is a few years older than him."

As Xue Qiong spoke, his eyes subtly swept over Mu Qingge’s expression.

Observing expressions is an essential skill for an official, and he hoped to discern emotion from Mu Qingge’s face. However, he was disappointed, for the first time doubting his abilities.

Mu Qingge simply lowered her gaze to drink tea, seemingly indifferent to his words, almost as if the woman he was referring to wasn’t her aunt.

A trace of confusion flashed in Xue Qiong’s eyes; he couldn’t fathom Mu Qingge’s current mood.

After a short pause, he continued, "Lord Mu Qingge, do you not worry about your aunt’s future life in the Xue Family?"

Mu Qingge put down her teacup and looked up at Xue Qiong.

The white vapor from the tea cup rose up like smoke, shrouding Mu Qingge’s face. She calmly replied, "My aunt did not marry into the Xue Family; she married Xue Qiao."

Xue Qiong was stunned.

Jiang Li leaned back against her chair, her hands resting on the armrests, her fingertips tapping lightly to make a ’tap, tap’ sound. She lazily said, "Xue Qiao probably isn’t at the Xue Family often, and with Aunt Lianrong following him, she’s probably not there often either. Even if the Xue Family is dissatisfied with her, what can they do? They might even lose a son. Besides, Xue Qiao swore an oath in the Ancient Witch Country, and you should know the consequences of breaking an oath there, right?"

Xue Qiong’s eyes narrowed slightly.

A look of shock appeared on his handsome features, "What? Xue Qiao actually made an oath in the Ancient Witch Country?"

Jiang Li said, schadenfreudely, "Yes! He was so enthusiastic, as if he was scared Aunt Lianrong would run away. No one could stop him from making that oath."

Mentioning this incident made Mu Qingge’s face darken a bit.

Her aunt’s oath left her with some resentment.

And her expression made Xue Qiong even more convinced of what Jiang Li said. Xue Qiao was simply thick-skinned and wanted to marry her aunt, not because of some family’s speculation that Xue Qiao had fallen into the Mu Family’s trap.

Moreover, after he saw Mu Qingge, the abilities she displayed didn’t need to rely on the Xue Family.

"Prime Minister Xue, I would like to hear the current sentiments in the Xue Family." Mu Qingge said to Xue Qiong with a cold tone.

Since it was already mentioned that the Xue Family wasn’t very accepting of her aunt getting married, why should she continue to show any pleasantries?

Xue Qiong had a flash of embarrassment on his face.

The family was greatly shocked upon receiving Xue Qiao’s letter. They quickly sent people to investigate everything about the third-class Qin Country and about the Mu Family.

It must be said that the results of the investigation surprised their family.

The Mu Mansion, such a dwindling family, could actually stir up storms in the Qin Country and even produced a prodigy like Mu Qingge.

In fact, one could say that the Mu Family was the true emperor of the Qin Country. Mu Lianrong’s status was equivalent to that of a princess.

However, the Xue Family was a family to which even the princess of the Yu Country would marry, so how could they care about a noblewoman from a third-class country? Even if her status was akin to that of a princess.

So, the Xue Family was quite resistant to Mu Lianrong’s appearance.

This time, one of his tasks in the Holy Yuan Empire was to contact Mu Qingge.

To personally experience the Mu Family members, and then plan accordingly.

"Marquis Mu, when I left the Yu Country, my seventh brother had not yet brought your aunt home. After my business in the Holy Yuan Empire is concluded, Xue Qiong would like to invite Marquis Mu to Yu Country, where Qiong will certainly extend my hospitality." Xue Qiong said to Mu Qingge.

Mu Qingge’s eyes flickered slightly, and she slowly revealed a smile, saying to Xue Qiong, "Alright. I will definitely visit the Xue Family in the Yu Country someday."

Upon receiving Mu Qingge’s promise, Xue Qiong stood up and took his leave from the two, "Qiong will not disturb your meal further and will take his leave first. I have already settled the bill, and this restaurant has private rooms for rest. If you two feel tired, you can rest here for a while. I’ve asked the innkeeper to reserve two adjacent private rooms for you."

With that, Xue Qiong turned and left the private room, seeming to feel that after his departure, the two of them would enjoy a more pleasant meal.

After he left, Jiang Li looked confused and said, "What did he mean by that? What does he mean by us resting together in adjacent rooms? Why do I feel like he’s hinting at something?"

Mu Qingge glanced at her and laughed, "Who doesn’t know by now that you are my woman?"

Jiang Li was stunned, her face showing a bit of grievance, "Mu Qingge, you’ve ruined my innocence, you need to take responsibility!"

"I’ll take responsibility, I’ll take responsibility. If someday you truly can’t get married, I’ll marry you, how about that?" Mu Qingge laughed.

Jiang Li, however, pulled her chair away to keep a distance from her, her voice revealing timidness, "No, you better stay away from me. I don’t want to die mysteriously. Your ’him’ could kill me as easily as slicing a fish."

"You’re wrong." Mu Qingge said with a smile that was somewhat malevolent, "At most, you could only be likened to slicing a snake."

Jiang Li let the words circle around in her mind and realized. Her eyes widened, and she pounced on Mu Qingge, warning, "Mu Qingge, do you have a death wish?"

After a bout of playful fighting, they calmed down, and Jiang Li said to Mu Qingge, "What did Xue Qiong mean by inviting you to the Yu Country in the end?"

Mu Qingge’s eyes narrowed slightly as she slowly said, "From his tone, the Xue Family’s attitude is very clear. He wants me to go to the Xue Family just to back up my aunt. After all, he is part of the Xue Family, and some things are better said by me, an outsider, than by him."

Jiang Li pondered for a moment and then nodded, "It seems he’s had a good impression of you during this time. He even thinks you have great potential, so he no longer opposes the marriage. However, he feels that words alone are too feeble to persuade his family, so he’s asking you to visit, to settle it once and for all. So, at least he accepts this marriage."

Mu Qingge nodded, "Xue Qiong is someone in the officialdom, and he’s not concerned about whether Aunt and Xue Qiao genuinely love each other. What he’s concerned about is whether such a union can bring benefits to the family. Of course, what he values is also what most of the Xue Family members care about. After arriving in the Holy Yuan Empire, perhaps he saw the Emperor Yuan’s attitude towards me, or he learned of my status as a Medicine Tower Elder, or maybe events at the Li Palace made him feel my influence is growing. Rather than saying he accepted my aunt, it’s more accurate to say he’s interested in the benefits I, Marquis Little Mu, can bring."

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