The sunlight stabbed through the window, and He Qinghua could no longer bear it. She struggled fiercely.
Li Daoqiang understood; it was time to end this. Before long, everything subsided, leaving only an uneven breathing that lingered for a long time.
Li Daoqiang held her delicate, alluring body in his arms and said gently, "After you return, how about bringing the Flying Swallow Sect into the Black Dragon Village?"
He Qinghua snapped out of her daze, a hint of hesitation in her brow. After a few breaths, she gritted her teeth and said, "No. If the Flying Swallow Sect merges into the Black Dragon Village, won't I have nothing left?"
"Don't you still have me?" Li Daoqiang said with amusement.
He Qinghua shot him a glance and sneered, "Hmph, can a man be relied upon?"
"I don't know about other men, but me—I'm definitely reliable," Li Daoqiang asserted confidently.
"Reliable? Then why would you openly say you're looking for other women?" He Qinghua's expression grew more disdainful and resolute. Coldly proud, she said, "I don't want to gamble my future on your whims."
Li Daoqiang's brow twitched. He suddenly realized He Qinghua had a point. If one of his female relatives had said that, he would have praised her—well said. Women should rely on themselves; men can't be trusted. But when it came to himself, he certainly wouldn't admit it. So he said tenderly, "Qinghua, you have to trust me. Since you've become my woman, I'll treat you well."
"Ha, don't think I don't know the minds of men like you—lustful, greedy for novelty, quick to tire of the old. That emperor of a nation is the truest reflection of you." The more He Qinghua spoke, the clearer and more determined she became. At the same time, she grew angrier. How had she failed to resist this bastard's sweet talk? Better to die than this. What was there to fear? Now she was being humiliated by this scoundrel.
"I'm not an emperor, so I definitely won't tire of the old. Rest assured, for me, the old is actually the best," Li Daoqiang coaxed softly.
"Do you think I should believe that?" He Qinghua said with a mocking look.
"Of course you should," Li Daoqiang replied without hesitation, full of confidence.
"I don't believe you," He Qinghua said firmly.
Li Daoqiang chuckled, curious. "Then what do you want to do?"
"The Flying Swallow Sect is still mine. You can't interfere," He Qinghua insisted.
Li Daoqiang hesitated slightly inwardly, but this wasn't the main point. He smiled and asked, "And after that?"
He Qinghua's eyes showed some hesitation, as if she hadn't thought it through. After a full ten-odd breaths, as if she had made up her mind, she said decisively, "You can't restrain me, and you can't spread news of what's between us."
Li Daoqiang was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected He Qinghua to make such a request. "You don't want fame? What are you planning?"
"Hmph, when I'm no weaker than you one day, I'll take you for myself. Until then, I don't want to be mocked by the heroes of the martial world," He Qinghua said with full pride.
Li Daoqiang was stunned. He Qinghua truly had grand ambitions. And she was so proud—just because she didn't want anyone to know she was sharing a man with other women, she was willing to be a nameless, secret mistress on the side? This was almost like a modern woman. But thinking about it, this chaotic world was a mix of various ideas. In some ways, a woman like He Qinghua had more resolve than modern women. Feeling a bit sympathetic, he kindly said, "Qinghua, don't push yourself. You have no chance of being my equal."
Hearing this, He Qinghua grew even more unwilling. Her pride flared up, and she said, "We'll see about that. One day, I'll defeat you and swallow up your Black Dragon Village."
"Ha," Li Daoqiang laughed, saying nothing. This only made He Qinghua angrier. She turned her head away, refusing to look at him, silently vowing and steeling herself.
"Are you sure about this? Staying with me in secret like this?" Li Daoqiang still felt some pity and kindly reminded her.
"Who's being secretive?" He Qinghua's face flushed with urgency, stubbornly insisting, though she couldn't find words to refute him.
Seeing her like this, Li Daoqiang knew she had made up her mind. Honestly, he rather admired this kind of woman—independent, self-reliant, with character. Though having such a woman as his own, directing that character at him, was a bit frustrating, he wasn't angry at all. After a moment's thought, he even felt a bit pleased. With He Qinghua's personality, if she entered the Black Dragon Village, she'd definitely clash with his other women. Minor chaos would be the least of it. Keeping her outside was actually a good thing.
Suddenly, Li Daoqiang understood why so many wealthy and powerful men in his previous world kept their lovers separate. Simple—to stop them from fighting. Together, they'd inevitably come to blows. He Qinghua voluntarily proposing this now would save a lot of trouble. Could he do the same with future women...?
Realizing the benefits of this arrangement, Li Daoqiang's mind wandered far. After a few breaths, he collected himself and looked at He Qinghua seriously. "Qinghua, have you decided?"
"Of course," He Qinghua said without hesitation. In her heart, she was determined: this time, she had to get the Heavenly Demon Qin. With it, she'd have a chance to defeat this bastard. Then—she'd make him kneel at her feet.
"Alright, I agree. I won't reveal our relationship to outsiders. We'll meet in secret from now on," Li Daoqiang said with a hint of resignation.
He Qinghua breathed a sigh of relief when he agreed. But then, as if something occurred to her, her gaze turned strange. She looked at Li Daoqiang and suddenly sneered mockingly, "Agreeing so quickly—are you happy? Of course you are. I'm your woman, and I won't go to the Black Dragon Village to fight with your other women and cause you trouble. Naturally, you're pleased. Men, ha. All the same."
Li Daoqiang's face stiffened. He put on a stern expression and said displeasedly, "What are you saying? This was all your idea. Don't be unreasonable."
He Qinghua didn't argue or get angry, as if she had seen through everything. She sneered, "Don't worry, I won't go back on it. In fact, I'm even more certain now. Men can't be relied on, and you even less. I absolutely won't stake my future on your likes and dislikes. One day, I'll defeat you fair and square and drive all your other women away."
Li Daoqiang felt a bit awkward but couldn't get angry. He could only say with a mix of helplessness and assurance, "Fine, I'll wait. If you really have that ability, from then on, Li Daoqiang will be yours alone."
"Pah." He Qinghua spat at his blunt words.
"Alright, get up. I need to prepare for the transaction," Li Daoqiang said.
He Qinghua immediately got up and dressed. Li Daoqiang enjoyed the sight for a while before leisurely putting on his own clothes. As he dressed, he said, "If you're leaving, leave a way to contact me. Tell me about the Flying Swallow Sect's situation too, so I can find you easily."
He Qinghua's face showed stubbornness for a moment, but she still gave him the contact information, including details about the Flying Swallow Sect. Li Daoqiang found it amusing and felt a bit softer inside. Regardless, He Qinghua still acknowledged herself as his woman—just with an impossible goal. After a moment's thought, he said seriously, "This matter of the Heavenly Demon Qin's emergence is no small thing. Not to mention the schemes involved, even the Demon Sect has appeared. This is beyond your ability to handle. Leave quickly."
He Qinghua's face darkened. She insisted, "No, I must get the Heavenly Demon Qin. Knowing the tiger's den and still walking in—that's the act of a hero. With so many factions involved and chaos everywhere, I might still have a chance."
Li Daoqiang looked at her expression and words, feeling even more fond of her. This personality was truly both endearing and exasperating. But his face grew more serious. "Enough. You have no chance. Setting others aside, you can't even get past me."
He Qinghua was startled. She glared at Li Daoqiang and said displeasedly, "You want to compete with me for the Heavenly Demon Qin?"
"It's not that I'm competing with you—it's that you have no chance," Li Daoqiang said calmly. He paused, then continued, "I suspect there's a scheme behind this, targeting the old Heavenly Dragon Sect, or even Huang Dong's family. You're caught up in it too. The other side must be at the Grandmaster level. In the chaos, I might not be able to protect you. Leave now, and it's best to move to be safe. As for improving your strength, don't worry. Soon, I'll give you divine martial arts manuals to help you break through to the Grandmaster realm."
He Qinghua frowned. Though she wanted to argue, reason told her he was likely right. Her heart grew even more conflicted. She wanted to leave, but without the Heavenly Demon Qin, how could she surpass this bastard?
"Thinking you can surpass me with the Heavenly Demon Qin is impossible. Steady cultivation is your best bet," Li Daoqiang said confidently, as if reading her mind. The last part, of course, was nonsense. Surpassing him would require some heaven-defying fortune. With just steady cultivation, even without the Great Bandit System, her merely top-tier talent would make it hopeless.
He Qinghua gritted her teeth but couldn't find words. After a while, she left without saying whether she would go or stay. Li Daoqiang didn't press her. Whether she left or not, he was confident he could keep her safe. Asking her to leave was just a precaution.
(Thanks for the support. Please keep it coming. Thank you.)
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