"Jiuge, there's something else I'd like to ask you," Ji Yunxi called her name, her tone hesitant.
"Just say it," she replied with a faint smile, giving Ji Yunxi great encouragement.
"Now that the God - created World has collapsed, but my divine power has not fully recovered," Ji Yunxi frowned and lowered her eyes. Her voice grew softer and was tinged with worry.
"How could this be?" Li Jiuge raised her eyebrows, her eyes full of disbelief. The God - created World was sustained by magic power. When the world collapsed, the power should have returned to its original owner. "Sorry, Yunxi, I don't know what's going on either."
"It's okay. I'll think of other ways," Ji Yunxi said. Hearing this answer, she wasn't too surprised. She forcibly suppressed a hint of inapparent disappointment and still looked at Li Jiuge calmly.
"I'm leaving, Yunxi," Li Jiuge hugged her.
"Take care on your journey," Ji Yunxi gave a gentle smile. Her whole being exuded a serene and comfortable aura, making people feel as warm as in the spring breeze.
"You should also stay safe," Li Jiuge turned around, waved vigorously, and shouted at her.
"Got it," Ji Yunxi thought to herself. She stood still at the courtyard entrance, watching the two figures blend into the setting sun and finally disappear from sight.
The petals on the tree fluttered down. The white petals made Ji Yunxi think of the snow in winter. She reached out her hand to catch them. Suddenly, a sense of powerlessness welled up in her heart. She and Li Jiuge were like these petals, caught in the whirlpool of fate due to some irresistible external factors. When would it end?
Suddenly, the chirping of birds in the tree caught her attention. A newly - hatched chick had fallen onto the eaves of a tree near the house, and the mother bird was anxiously chirping beside it.
Ji Yunxi gently tiptoed, stretched out her arms, and with a flash, she was already standing on the eaves.
"Little guys, you're so naughty. I'll send you back right away," she glanced at the location of the nest, stretched out her arm, and put the chick back into the nest on the branch.
Oops? It was still a bit short. Ji Yunxi leaned a bit closer to the edge of the eaves.
"Yunxi, what are you doing up there?"
"Aah? Aaaaaaaaaah!" Just as Ji Yunxi had just put the chick back, Feng Xingzhi's voice suddenly rang out, scaring her so much that she trembled all over. She lost her footing and fell straight down.
Feng Xingzhi's pupils constricted slightly. He quickly took to the air, riding on the wind, and in a few steps, he caught Ji Yunxi. Ji Yunxi instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. Her elegant dress fluttered in the air, with the overlapping patterns of wisteria flowers in full bloom.
"How dangerous! Why didn't you use your magic?" Feng Xingzhi said in a hurried tone, his voice involuntarily rising.
"Because I believe you'll catch me first, just like you've always been there for me whenever I'm in trouble," Ji Yunxi smiled like a child, innocent and pure. Her firm tone left Feng Xingzhi stunned.
"You really give me a headache," Feng Xingzhi stared at her affectionately. Although his face showed no expression, the doting in his tone was undeniable, and a hint of a smile flashed across his eyes.
Feng Xingzhi carefully put Ji Yunxi down. "We need to go and discuss with Ji Zhuanxu how to deal with the remaining forces of the Shennong Clan."
"Okay, let's go," Ji Yunxi grabbed his wrist and trotted forward.
"Slow down," Feng Xingzhi ran after her. In the overlapping shadows of the flowers, their clothes got intertwined, as if no one could separate them.
"After the defeat of the Shennong Clan, the other clans have all submitted to Xuanyuan, but in fact, there are undercurrents beneath the surface calm," Ji Zhuanxu said in a calm tone.
"Yes, it's hard to tell friend from foe. We should be careful," Ji Yunxi nodded. Jiang Yanjv and Jiang Yaoji had always been coveting. Back then, Jiang Yaoji somehow learned the news that she and Feng Xingzhi were going to the God - created World and followed them. Thinking about it, they had been entangled for so long. It really felt like a lifetime ago.
Ji Zhuanxu spread out a map on the table. "This is probably where the Shennong Clan is hiding. We should be prepared in case Jiang Yaoji attacks us first." Ji Zhuanxu summoned his ministers. Ji Yunxi was a bit absent - minded and didn't hear clearly what they were saying.
A maid whispered something in Feng Xingzhi's ear. He nodded and went out.
"Who sent you this letter written on red paper?" Ji Yunxi found that he hadn't come back for a while and came to look for him. She peeked over with a smile, only to find that it wasn't a letter but a wedding invitation sent by the Huaxu Clan. The smile on her face vanished instantly.
Feng Xingzhi also had a gloomy expression. He tightly held the invitation without saying a word. The veins on his hand bulged, revealing his inner emotions.
There was a moment of silence between them. Ji Yunxi's lips twitched. She wanted to take the invitation from his hand but trembled so much that she failed twice.
Feng Xingzhi opened it for her to see. The names on the wedding invitation were none other than Qi Jingyue, the eldest daughter of the Xiling Clan, and Feng Xingzhi. Along with the invitation was a letter asking Feng Xingzhi to go back quickly to prepare for the wedding.
"Yunxi, I'll handle this matter well. I won't let you be wronged. Please trust me," Feng Xingzhi quickly explained to her. A hint of eagerness appeared on his usually cold face, and Ji Yunxi couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"You... Why are you laughing? Aren't you angry?" Feng Xingzhi looked at her in confusion, trying to confirm that she was really not angry.
His cautious look made Ji Yunxi both angry and amused. She put her hands behind her back and pretended to think. "I am a bit angry. But he's using the position of the clan leader to blackmail you. Think it over. If you refuse him, there will be a fierce battle."
"Yes, I will never let you down. Feng Jian'an has secretly received a lot of benefits from the Xiling Clan. He wants to make one last profit before I gain real power. If I marry her, Feng Jian'an's days will be even more difficult."
"He has a good plan," Ji Yunxi said angrily.
"I'll go back to the Huaxu Clan first. Contact me if there's anything."
"Okay, go quickly. I'm waiting for good news from you!" Ji Yunxi watched Feng Xingzhi's departing back, and the smile faded from her face.
"Why did you two come out? I didn't see you during the discussion just now," Ji Zhuanxu asked with a smile when he saw his sister return.
"Oh, he had something to do and went back to the Huaxu Clan."
"What's wrong? Is Feng Jian'an causing him trouble? Does he need the help of our Xuanyuan Clan?" Ji Zhuanxu sipped his tea and said slowly.
"No, it's just a small matter. Don't trouble yourself, brother."
"What's going on? Don't be so polite with your brother. Since you like him so much, your brother will surely do his best to help him."
"Brother, I, he..." Ji Yunxi stammered. Ji Zhuanxu sensed something was wrong and asked the maid beside him to tell.
The maid was so nervous that she immediately knelt down and told everything. Ji Yunxi secretly thought it was bad when she saw this.