The heart of a maiden in love, once stirred, grows as wildly as spring vines.

The evening breeze was cool, yet it could not disperse the invisible, oppressive aura radiating from Qin Hao.

With a gentle arm around Su Qingyue, he led her out of the Su family courtyard with calm and unhurried steps.

Wherever they passed, the members of the Su family and the attendants of the City Lord's estate scrambled back like a receding tide. Having witnessed Qin Hao's ruthless methods, not a single person dared to step forward to stop him; they didn't even dare to raise their eyes to look at him.

Nestled in the small haven of Qin Hao's embrace, Su Qingyue felt an unprecedented sense of warmth and security.

She gazed blankly at his handsome profile, a profound sense of unreality welling up within her. "Am I really not dreaming?"

Qin Hao did not immediately rush Su Qingyue to the City Lord's estate. Instead, they strolled toward it at a leisurely pace, like a couple out for an evening walk.

The City Lord's estate was situated in the very center of Clear Wind City. With its crimson gates and high walls, it was brightly lit, exuding a majestic and imposing air.

Today, however, that majesty was about to be utterly shattered.

Qin Hao's gaze casually swept over the main gates of the estate. A faint glimmer flashed within his dual pupils.

Boom!

A streak of destructive black light flashed past, and the structures before them violently exploded without the slightest warning.

The gate guards turned pale with terror. Just as they opened their mouths to shout a warning, Qin Hao's eyes shifted slightly. A powerful surge of spiritual energy instantly knocked them unconscious.

"What insolent rat dares to cause trouble at my City Lord's estate? You are courting death!"

From within the estate, City Lord Liu Qing, having sensed the commotion at the gates, shot into the sky like a cannonball. Though Liu Qing was nearing the end of his lifespan, he was, after all, a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Striking out in sheer fury, his imposing might was still astonishing.

Gripping his heavy sword tightly, he cleaved straight down toward Qin Hao. The scorching sword qi radiating from the blade was so intense that even the distant onlookers felt a burning sensation on their skin.

Faced with the full-force strike of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, Su Qingyue turned deathly pale, her hands subconsciously tightening their grip on Qin Hao's robes.

In stark contrast, Qin Hao, who was bearing the brunt of the attack, did not even bat an eyelid.

"Arrogant fool!" Seeing Qin Hao completely ignore him, Liu Qing roared, pouring even more strength into his descending strike.

Clang!

Liu Qing's vicious strike landed squarely on Qin Hao's shoulder, yet Qin Hao remained completely unscathed. Instead, it was Liu Qing who was sent flying backward by an unfathomably powerful repulsive force. Even the heavy sword that had accompanied him through years of bloody battles shattered into countless pieces.

"The stench of the weak." Qin Hao's eyes brimmed with contempt. The Void Emperor Robes he wore, though merely a replica, could withstand the full-force strikes of an Immortal Emperor for ten breaths of time. Did a mere Golden Core cultivator really think he could break his defenses?

"Who are you?"

The sheer recoil from the Void Emperor Robes had completely shattered every meridian in Liu Qing's body. With his lifespan already nearing its end, sustaining such catastrophic injuries meant he would likely not live to see tomorrow's sunrise.

On the brink of death, his only remaining desire was to know the identity of this young man whose power defied all imagination. Who was he, and why had he come to kill him?

"Who I am is irrelevant. What matters is that you know who she is!"

Prompted by Qin Hao's words, Liu Qing finally noticed Su Qingyue, who was being protectively held at the young man's side. Wasn't this the young concubine he was about to marry?

"Did you really think you could covet my Dao Companion?"

Qin Hao's words shocked Liu Qing so deeply that his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. What?! This Su Qingyue actually had a Dao Companion, and one of such terrifying power at that?! That damned Su Zhenhai! Why didn't he tell him?! If he had known, would he have ever dared to offend such an almighty figure?!

At this realization, Liu Qing's expression twisted into something uglier than a crying face.

"S-Senior... I... this... this was never my intention! It was Su Zhenhai! Su Zhenhai knew my lifespan was coming to an end, so he offered to marry his daughter to me to bring me good fortune. He said it might just give me the push I needed to break through to the late Golden Core realm and extend my life!"

"I didn't know! I swear I didn't know she was your woman, Senior! If I had known, even if you gave me ten thousand, no, a hundred thousand times the courage, I would never have dared to harbor even the slightest thought about her!"

Hearing this, Qin Hao let out a cold sneer. "Su Zhenhai is undeniably despicable, but do you think you are any better? You are both cut from the same rotten cloth!"

A dark light flashed within his dual pupils. Liu Qing's veins violently bulged out as his body rapidly bloated, culminating in a sickening explosion of gore.

In the distance, the onlookers stood with their jaws completely unhinged, yet not a single soul dared to make a sound.

What had they just witnessed? City Lord Liu Qing, whose might had dominated Clear Wind City for over a century, had struck with all his might, yet failed to harm a single hair on this young man's head. Instead, his heavy sword had instantly pulverized! Even more absurdly, the young man had annihilated a mid-stage Golden Core expert with nothing but a single glance!

What... what kind of horrifying power was this?

Su Qingyue's knuckles turned white from how tightly she was gripping Qin Hao's robes. It was too fast. Everything had happened far too fast. From absolute despair to sudden hope, from contemplating suicide to standing here completely unharmed, the drastic turn of events was so swift it felt like a dream.

She looked up at Qin Hao, her eyes filled with probing wonder, but his demeanor suggested he had just done something utterly trivial.

He lowered his head to look at the stunned girl in his arms. The soul-freezing apathy that had previously filled his dual pupils vanished entirely, replaced by a profound tenderness.

Raising a hand, Qin Hao used the back of his fingers to brush against Su Qingyue's icy cheek with extreme gentleness. He spoke in a warm, soothing voice:

"Did I frighten you?"

His voice was soft, yet it possessed an uncanny ability to dispel the lingering terror in her heart.

His tender gesture sent Su Qingyue's emotions into a chaotic swirl, making it impossible for her to remain calm.

A man wielding such devastating power was treating her with such incredible gentleness. This stark contrast between ultimate strength and supreme tenderness was like the most intoxicating wine, pouring into her unguarded heart and catching her completely by surprise.

Her cheeks began to burn uncontrollably, a rosy blush quietly spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.

Without warning, a thought intruded into her mind, a thought so vivid that it startled even herself:

If... if only this rental agreement had no expiration date. How wonderful would that be?

The very idea made her feel both ashamed and ridiculous. Their relationship was strictly transactional; his fierce protection of her was merely a display of his professional dedication!

Thinking of this, Su Qingyue stole a shy upward glance at Qin Hao. Meeting those gentle eyes, she felt herself completely and utterly falling for him in that single look.

Could such a tender gaze really just be an act?

Once the romantic yearnings of a young girl's heart were stirred, they grew wildly like spring vines, impossible to suppress.

Her mind uncontrollably began replaying every detail since Qin Hao's arrival: the awe-inspiring sight of him shattering the void to appear before her, the gentle way he had wiped away her tears, the comforting warmth radiating from his hand when he held hers, and the absolute, unquestionable certainty in his voice when he declared, No one is allowed to bully my Qingyue...

With every detail she recalled, the spark in her heart burned ever brighter, making her cheeks flush even hotter.

Observing Su Qingyue's bashful demeanor, Qin Hao gave a soft chuckle. It seemed a ten-star review from his very first client was practically guaranteed.

"Shall we go home?"

His voice made Su Qingyue tremble. She shook her head vehemently. "No! From the moment he tried to force me to marry the City Lord, that place ceased to be my home."

As she spoke, she looked up at Qin Hao, her eyes filled with a stubborn resolve. "Will you leave with me?"

While her desire to escape the Su family was genuine, a part of her simply didn't want to part ways with Qin Hao so soon.

She was terrified, terrified that if they went back, this rental agreement would finally come to an end.

She didn't want it to end just yet. She wanted to understand Qin Hao, to learn about his past, his likes and dislikes...