Chapter 1709: Peach Blossom Spirit

Zu An was startled. "Your Highness must be joking. You are a member of the imperial family, while I am just an ordinary commoner. No matter how good our relationship is, we can hardly be called 'family'."

He thought to himself, "Is King Qi desperate? It's one thing to try and win me over, but using such a clumsy excuse is truly beneath him." Even if they formed an alliance, both would surely have their own agendas. It would be difficult to even call them good friends, let alone 'family.'

King Qi, however, didn't mind. He smiled slightly and said, "I have a cherished daughter named Xiao Die. From a young age, she was delicate and lovely, and I adored her. Later, I sent her to cultivate in the ancient Daoist sect, Li Hentian. Her cultivation aptitude is also excellent. It's not just a father's boast; she truly embodies both talent and beauty."

He paused, then suddenly remembered something and smiled, "Master Zu was in Purple Mountain before, so I imagine you must have met her."

Zu An instinctively nodded. "Yes, I have. The Princess is indeed very beautiful."

*Of course, her personality was a bit strange, with a masochistic tendency...* Of course, he dared not say this to King Qi, otherwise, if the King knew he had once whipped his precious daughter, he might turn hostile on the spot.

Hearing Zu An's praise, King Qi's face showed the contentment of a proud father. "My daughter is now of marriageable age. And as far as I know, Master Zu is also currently unmarried. I see you two as a perfect match, a truly heaven-made pair..."

Zu An was stunned by his words, completely unprepared for such a proposal.

At that moment, Mi Li's laughter echoed in his mind. "Well, well, well. It seems you're doing increasingly well, kid. Even a prince wants you as a son-in-law."

Zu An retorted impatiently, "Don't mock me here. Help me figure out what King Qi is really thinking."

Their souls were bound, making communication within their minds extremely convenient. What felt like a long conversation to them was but a mere instant to the outside world.

"What else could he be thinking? He wants to win you over," Mi Li replied casually. "You are now the regent of the demon race, and your status has risen significantly. He's weighed the pros and cons and realized that winning you over is more beneficial than continuing to be your enemy."

"But this seems like too much effort for him, too eager, even abnormal," Zu An said, puzzled. "We've had several encounters, and the previous conflicts have created deep animosity..."

"You don't need to worry about that," Mi Li explained. "It makes no sense for him to deceive you now, and he certainly wouldn't joke about his own daughter. He must have keenly sensed the rift between you and Zhao Hao, understanding that you can be won over. That's why he put aside past grievances and sought you out."

"And the fact that he's acting so urgently, even offering such favorable terms right from the start, suggests that your status as regent of the demon race alone isn't enough. Most likely, he's about to undertake a major endeavor against the Emperor and desperately needs your support, which is why he's not concerned with anything else."

A thought stirred in Zu An's mind: *Could it be related to Purple Mountain?*

Despite sensing his sincerity this time, he still apologized, "Thank you for your kind offer, Your Highness. However, I have already been married before, and I also have several close female companions..."

"Are you referring to the Qin family's granddaughter?" King Qi said, unconcerned. "As far as I know, you two have already divorced, so she is not your wife. As for female companions, it's common for a man to have three wives and four concubines. Xiao Die comes from the imperial family and is not a jealous person; she naturally wouldn't stop you from taking concubines."

Zu An was speechless.

At that moment, Mi Li's voice chimed in, "Accept it. If he offers such terms to win you over and you refuse, you'll truly offend him. Then both Zhao Hao and King Qi will want to eliminate you. Do you really think you have three heads and six arms?"

Zu An was startled, realizing it would indeed be unwise to contend with two powerful figures simultaneously in the current situation.

However, he wasn't willing to betray his principles concerning marriage just for this. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I did get to know the Princess in Purple Mountain, and we even had some interesting encounters."

"Oh, is that so?" King Qi was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected his precious daughter to have a good relationship with Zu An. He wondered, *How does this rascal manage to charm beautiful girls everywhere he goes?*

Zu An nodded. "Precisely because the Princess and I are acquainted, it wouldn't be right to treat her feelings as a mere transaction. It would be better to let things develop naturally."

He neither accepted nor directly refused, instead giving an ambiguous answer.

"Hmm..." King Qi frowned, somewhat displeased with the outcome.

At this point, Zu An said, "Your Highness, given the situation, I might as well be frank with you. All past events were not due to my intention to oppose you, but merely the whims of fate. Now, there are no irreconcilable conflicts of interest between us. Coupled with my acquaintance with the Princess, our relationship will naturally develop in new ways in the future. I hope Your Highness will let bygones be bygones."

King Qi then turned his worries into joy. "Haha, of course."

***

After King Qi left, Zu An sighed, "Sister Master, I feel like something big is about to happen. Although I can sense it vaguely, I don't know the specifics. I have a constant feeling of apprehension."

"What is there to worry about?" Mi Li said, her tone light. "Even if the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up. You should be grateful for the existence of people like King Qi, otherwise, Zhao Hao would have already focused his attention on you. With the things you've done, he would have pulverized you long ago."

Zu An gave an awkward smile. "It's not that serious, is it? There are many things I've done that he doesn't know about."

"You haven't received an imperial education, so you don't understand the royal mindset," Mi Li shook her head. "Just because the Emperor dislikes you, you are destined for a bad end. Right now, you just happen to still have some utilitarian value."

"Furthermore, during the last incident in the Secret Realm of West Quanqiu, he lost a clone. Although I don't know what exactly happened inside, only a few of you came out alive from the realm. For the Emperor, it's better to kill the wrong person than to let an enemy go. Once he deals with King Qi, it will be your turn."

"So that's why you wanted me to agree to King Qi's marriage proposal," Zu An mused.

"You philandering scoundrel, I don't know what's wrong with you that you actually refused! I've seen that Zhao Xiaodie; although she's slightly less stunning than that Chu girl, she's still a beauty in a million. You wouldn't be at a disadvantage," Mi Li said, a little exasperated by his lack of ambition.

"That woman is a bit perverse... Besides, I don't need to sell my charm to do these things," Zu An said, somewhat displeased.

Mi Li let out a soft chuckle. Her ethereal hand reached out, and her slender, pale finger hooked his chin. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I didn't expect you to have such integrity."

Zu An suddenly came to his senses. "You've seen Zhao Xiaodie? So, you've been awake for a while now?"

"Yes, I've been awake for a while, otherwise I would have missed so many interesting things," Mi Li remarked. "You really are a lady-killer, kid. You even managed to charm her master! Although those two women are very beautiful, they're God knows how many years older than you. You certainly have a strong preference..."

At this point, her expression suddenly changed. "You don't harbor such thoughts about me too, do you, kid?"