NINE STAR HEGEMON BODY ARTS:

Atop Sunset Mountain, the sun was just beginning to rise when Meng Qi saw Long Chen walk back with the marriage contract. Despite this being what she wanted, she couldn't bear to do it. Her hand trembled, but she simply couldn't take that piece of paper.

Long Chen smiled slightly. Gripping her hand lightly, he handed the marriage contract to her.

When he touched her beautiful hand, his heart shook and it took a huge effort to keep himself calm.

"Take it. You're a kind girl, and although the situation is as it is, I don't hate you in the slightest."

With one hand in the grasp of Long Chen, Meng Qi's body shook. At first she wanted to take her hand back, but it was as if she couldn't control her own body.

Long Chen's words caused her heart to ache, and the tears within her eyes spilled out. She choked out, "Long Chen, I'm sorry…"

"You really are a nice person. I should make my move now while I have a chance…"

His heart was plummeting, but his expression was still warm and calm. He acted in a brotherly manner, reaching out and gently wiping away her tears.

It was only with his greatest strength that he managed not to become engrossed with her beautiful face. Her charm was truly just too astonishing.

Without his powerful Spiritual Strength, he would have already become enchanted. But at this time, he had to continue resisting.

With a faint smile, he said, "Meng Qi, this isn't your fault. If you want to blame someone, you should blame our fathers. Those two old conkers played a practical joke on us."

The originally sobbing Meng Qi couldn't help but laugh when she heard his unfilial and ridiculous words.

The smile that blossomed on her tear-streaked face was like a dew-covered spring flower. Her beauty was something that could not be replicated. Gazing at that face, Long Chen blurted out, "Meng Qi, you really are beautiful."

But he regretted it as soon as he said it. Despite his attempts at self-control, his male wolf side still appeared. Long Chen was so angry he wanted to punch himself.

Luckily, Meng Qi didn't become angry after hearing Long Chen's praise. Her face turned red, and she rolled her eyes in a cute way which was another kind of beauty.

Crap, crap, Long Chen, if you miss out on such a beautiful woman, what would be the point of living?

Right, I just have to do everything I can. Don't worry about danger or saving face!

Long Chen sighed, and let go of Meng Qi's hand, leaving the marriage contract with her.

"Actually, with your current status, you didn't even need to notice my existence. We're two people in two different worlds. But you still came. I know that you came because you didn't want me to harbor any false hope and have me waiting forever till the end. For you to want this is completely faultless. On the contrary, I am extremely grateful to you."

"Long Chen, are you just saying this to try and make me feel less guilty?" With the marriage contract in her hand, her voice trembled slightly.

"No, I'm saying the truth. But from today onwards, I have a distant goal now," laughed Long Chen.

"What is it?" asked Meng Qi.

"From today onwards, I will put all my effort into cultivating. Once my strength is great enough, I'll come and find you. The current marriage contract has become invalid, but I'll start to chase after you again starting now."

Although he was smiling, his eyes were filled with determination. No one could doubt his resolution.

Meng Qi was speechless. This was the first time she had ever met someone who would so boldly confess to her, and even more shocking was the fact that this person was a man who she had personally delivered deep grief to.

Her thoughts were in complete disorder and she didn't know how to respond. Should she decline or accept?

"You don't need to feel any pressure as this is just my own wishful thinking. A kind woman like you is someone worthy for me, Long Chen, to guard with my life. But before I can pursue you, I have to properly cultivate and become a true expert. Only then will I have the qualifications to protect you. In order to get those qualifications, I'll cultivate with all my might. It doesn't matter whether you accept or decline me, I'll still continue like this," said Long Chen with resolve.

Meng Qi's face was completely red. Although she had previously come from a humble origin, ever since she had entered into a cultivation sect, everything had changed.

This was the first time anyone had dared to confess so brazenly to her. Seeing Long Chen's determined expression, her thoughts were in a wild tumble and she was unable to say anything.

There's hope, thought Long Chen in satisfaction as he looked at the bewildered Meng Qi. Right now, the most important thing was for Meng Qi to not feel any dislike with him. That would already be considered a success and a small step forward. The next steps would be to continue stirring her emotions until he moved her core.

Long Chen was about to continue when a terrifying aura exploded out.

Meng Qi's expression changed and she stepped forward, placing Long Chen behind her. She readied herself, prepared for anything. She waited for a moment as she assessed the situation before relaxing slightly.

A huge wasp appeared in front of them. It was over fifteen meters long, and its body was covered in gaudy lines that would cause people's scalps to turn numb.

Long Chen was alarmed, as that was not only a second rank Magical Beast but an exceptionally violent Bloodrage Wasp.

Even a third rank Magical Beast wouldn't easily go provoke it because even they would at least be gravely injured if pierced by its stinger.

But after a brief moment of fear, a certain thought arose as he looked at Meng Qi's beautiful back: You may be able to stand in front of me this time, but I will stand in front of you for a lifetime.

That huge Bloodrage Wasp landed onto the ground, its terrifying cry still lingering in the air. Suddenly, a man jumped off from its back.

The man appeared to be in his twenties. He was tall and very proper, giving off a noble feeling. But arrogance was written all over his face, destroying his image.

As soon as the man saw Meng Qi, his eyes lit up with an unconcealed adoration.

"Junior apprentice-sister, master is very displeased that you haven't returned in so long, so he sent me to bring you back." At first, he was smiling brightly, but as soon as he saw Long Chen, he frowned and asked, "Who is this? Could it be…?"

Coldness resurfaced in his eyes, but he once more concealed it.

"Don't be crazy. I'm just asking this young master some questions." Meng Qi evidently wasn't good at lying and panic flashed in her eyes.

Turning to Long Chen, she said, "Young master, thank you for your help."

Her gaze towards Long Chen held many things, but before Long Chen could carefully see what those things were, Meng Qi had already gotten onto her steed and flown up.

That man glanced at Long Chen and coldly snorted. With just a point of his finger, a transparent arrow appeared in front of him and shot towards Long Chen.

Long Chen was still thinking about the look Meng Qi had given him. He hadn't expected that man to suddenly attack him, so he was completely unable to dodge in time.

That arrow had been condensed from Spiritual Strength and so was completely incorporeal. If ordinary people were to be struck by it, their spirit would immediately break and they would be reduced to a simpleton.

Since he was no longer able to dodge due to his surprise, he could only hastily use his Spiritual Strength to block it. Although his Spiritual Strength was great, he had never cultivated any soul arts, so he had little chance of being able to block it.

Suddenly, another arrow shot out and blocked the man's attack. A powerful explosion blew Long Chen backs everal feet.

"Senior apprentice-brother Xi, master would be quite displeased to learn that you attacked an ordinary mortal like this."

At some unknown time, another woman had appeared beside the two of them. This senior apprentice-brother Xi's expression changed slightly, but he still laughed, "Junior apprentice-sister, you misunderstand me; I'm just testing him out a bit. How could I possibly really hurt him?"

Long Chen's expression was extremely ugly. With his Spiritual Strength, he could clearly tell that this bastard had intended to cripple him.

But it wasn't just that he had attacked him. The look he had given Meng Qi had also caused Long Chen to feel a burst of anger. Adding the attack on to that and Long Chen was now fuming with anger.

"Young master, this is an inner disciple of our Wind Spirit Pavilion. His cultivation is very high, so you'll have to work hard."

After she said that, she purposely winked at Long Chen.

"Senior apprentice-brother Xi, let's go."

Although she said this, she was clearly waiting for him to go with her.

He glanced at Long Chen and indifferently laughed. Stepping onto the Bloodrage Wasp, the two of them departed.

Long Chen couldn't help but curse, "This damn crap-brother Xi, I won't forget this!"

After releasing his anger, Long Chen calmed down. No matter what, he had at least gained something from today. Although the marriage arrangement had been annulled, he had at the least given Meng Qi a good impression.

The most important thing was that when Meng Qi had left, she had placed the marriage contract carefully within her robes and hadn't immediately torn it apart. That had left him with a great deal of hope.

But at the same time, it gave him a great sense of urgency. How many could withstand the charm of an outstanding woman like Meng Qi? Plus, there was that crap-brother Xi beside her. His hopes could be dashed at any moment.

And even if he got rid of crap-brother Xi, more crap-brothers would also come… No matter what, he had to quickly raise his cultivation base.

Although he had gained the alchemist guild's emblem, the alchemist guild was a neutral power that didn't participate in any fights. He would have to rely on himself for everything.

His past few miserable years had raised his wariness. He suspected that someone was possibly using his mother and him to control his father.

At this point in time, his father had refused to answer the royal family's summons several times. Most likely, he already knew something was going on. The longer things stretched out, the less value the mother-son duo would have, and the greater danger they would be in.

After returning home, Long Chen locked himself in his room and ordered that no one was to disturb him. He then took out the medical ingredients that he had stored in his spatial ring.

Last time when he was at the alchemist guild, Yun Qi had given him a copper-gold cauldron which was a great aid to him. Cauldrons were an essential tool for alchemists, and there was a great deal of knowledge and technique involved with them.

Long Chen's old cauldron was complete trash and not only did it waste a great deal of heat, but it also used up a large amount of Long Chen's Pill Flame.

And in terms of quality, the greatest difference was that the old one couldn't seal in the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. Spiritual qi would rush out while impurities would rush in; such a cauldron could not possibly produce any good pills.

Cauldrons required a skilled artisan to forge, and as for Long Chen's old cauldron, it had been made by just an ordinary worker.

But there was no way around it. A decent cauldron cost several hundred thousand gold coins, maybe even millions. There was no way for Long Chen to afford it.

As for the cauldron Yun Qi had given Long Chen, it was a first tier medicinal cauldron. Only Pill Apprentices and other pill cultivators had the qualifications to use it.

With this new cauldron, Long Chen was finally properly equipped.

"I have to pick up the pace. Otherwise, even my future wife might leave me in the future."