Shen Qianmo couldn't help but chuckle. This Qianqian, she's still so impulsive, so adorable.
"Where are Hongmei and Qingsong?" Situ Jingyan asked, seeing that only Qianqian and Xuanming were there.
"They were taken away by my brother's men to receive treatment," Xuan Ming explained with a smile, revealing adorable dimples at the corners of his mouth.
"Where's Shengge?!" Shen Qianmo frowned slightly. It seemed that Shengge had disappeared since Situ Jingyan broke the formation. Shengge wasn't the type to act on her own. Where did she go?
"Ring ring ring." A metallic clanging sound suddenly came from beside her ears, sounding like a bell, but even crisper. Shen Qianmo frowned in confusion, wondering what the sound was.
Qianqian and Situ Jingyan also looked completely bewildered, while only Xuanming's expression changed slightly.
"What's wrong?" Shen Qianmo noticed the change in Xuan Ming's expression. It seemed that this was not a simple voice, but some kind of code on Fire Island.
Xuanming frowned and said, "Someone has triggered the Fire Heaven Five Elements Array around the Fire Fruit."
The Fire and Heaven Five Elements Formation. Although not as difficult to break as the Profound Heaven Formation and the Heavenly Illusion Formation, it is far more dangerous. Especially when the Fire and Heaven Five Elements Formation is set up around an extremely yang object like the Fire Fruit, its power should not be underestimated.
Almost instantly, both Shen Qianmo and Situ Jingyan's expressions darkened. The people of Fire Island wouldn't casually touch this formation; the only possibility was an intruder. And coincidentally, someone heading for the Fire Fruit at this moment—it was obvious who it was.
"Take me there quickly!" A hint of seriousness flashed in Shen Qianmo's eyes. It was true that Shengge's martial arts were superb, but he was not proficient in formations. If he really stayed in the Fire Heaven Five Elements Formation alone, he would probably suffer.
Seeing Shen Qianmo's anxious expression, and remembering that Situ Jingyan had just saved his mother, Xuanming didn't ask any more questions and hurriedly led Shen Qianmo and Situ Jingyan to the secluded courtyard where the Fire Fruit was located.
When Shen Qianmo and Situ Jingyan's group arrived, the Fire Heaven Five Elements Formation had already been activated. Within the formation, raging flames roared, resembling an endless, boundless inferno, interspersed with countless hidden weapons. Although it was all just an illusion, reality and illusion coexisted; no one knew which of the hidden weapons and the raging fire was real and which was illusory. Therefore, they had to avoid all attacks, or they risked utter destruction.
The black robes were faintly visible amidst the raging flames. Without careful examination, Shen Qianmo could immediately recognize Sheng Ge, with her unique icy aura and the martial arts style of the Demon Palace.
The black figure seemed to be struggling to hold on within the formation, yet it still managed to slowly make its way towards the Fire Fruit, the most dangerous center of the Fire Heaven Five Elements Formation.
"Shenge! Are you out of your mind?! Come back here!" Shen Qianmo shouted wildly into the formation, but Shenge, who was inside the formation, could not hear Shen Qianmo's voice.
At this moment, Shengge had already been hit by a hidden weapon, and his skills were not as nimble as before, but the fire fruit was right in front of him, how could he give it up?
When Hongmei was injured, Shengge left the scene. He believed that with Situ Jingyan protecting the Palace Master, nothing would happen to him, while he needed to obtain the Fire Fruit as soon as possible. However, he was unaware of the agreement reached between Situ Jingyan and Xuanlou after he left; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken this risk for nothing.
"Shengge!" Shen Qianmo watched helplessly as a hidden weapon shot towards Shengge's back.
Whether the hidden weapons were real or fake was unclear to those inside the formation, but perfectly clear to those outside. Sheng Ge and Shen Qianmo had known each other for quite some time, and their relationship was naturally very good. How could Shen Qianmo stand by and watch Sheng Ge get hurt? She immediately leaped into the Fire Heaven Five Elements Formation, not forgetting to turn back and say to Xuan Ming, "Keep an eye on Qianqian!"
Upon hearing this, Qianqian, who originally wanted to follow Shen Qianmo into the formation, was grabbed by Xuanming and unable to move.
"Let me go! I need to go with my young lady!" Qianqian struggled and looked anxiously at Shen Qianmo. Entering the formation was not to break it, but to save people. The dangers involved were indescribable. How could she let her young lady go in alone?
At the same moment that Shen Qianmo's white figure leaped in, Situ Jingyan's red figure also leaped into the Fire Heaven Five Elements Formation.
Shengge barely dodged the blow to his back, but the hidden weapon still struck his left arm. His movements slowed noticeably, and he was only two or three steps away from the fire fruit, but the hidden weapon and the raging fire were even more intense.
"Fire Fruit." A hint of joy flashed across Sheng Ge's cold, chiseled face. He reached out to grab the Fire Fruit, but at the same time, countless hidden weapons flew towards his vital points. He didn't know which hidden weapons were real and which were illusions, and with so many, there was simply no way to avoid them!
A resolute smile curled at the corners of Shengge's lips, cold and ruthless. Since there was no way to avoid it, then she wouldn't avoid it. She reached out to grab the fire fruit without regard for the hidden weapon.
Shen Qianmo was astonished by this scene. Sheng Ge had always been aloof, yet now he was willing to do such a thing for Situ Jinghao?! Even knowing that Situ Jinghao was a man, he was still willing to do such a thing?!
She wanted to rush over, but it was too late. A flicker of despair crossed Shen Qianmo's eyes. Was she really going to have to watch Shengge get hurt?!
"Mo'er, be careful!" Situ Jingyan, who had rushed over, grabbed Shen Qianmo's hand and spun her around. Shen Qianmo was focused on Shengge's situation but forgot about the hidden weapons around her. If it weren't for Situ Jingyan, she would probably have been seriously injured.
"Xuanlou has already agreed to offer the Fire Fruit, so why are you all in such a hurry?" A gentle and refined voice rang in his ears, and the surrounding flames and hidden weapons instantly disappeared. Shengge also grabbed the Fire Fruit, but the two wounds on his arm from the hidden weapons were bleeding profusely, making his face look pale.
Seeing the formation disappear, Shen Qianmo breathed a sigh of relief. Her face was pale as she looked at Xuanlou and said gratefully, "Thank you, Young Master."
Situ Jingyan's face turned ashen as he stared at Shen Qianmo's cheeks, his own face deathly pale. After a long while, he managed to squeeze out a few words, "Don't take such risks again."
Seeing Situ Jingyan's anxious expression, Shen Qianmo felt a lump in her throat. She had never imagined that her safety would affect someone's emotions so much.
"What's going on?" Xuan Lou glanced at Sheng Ge, looked at the fire fruit in his hand, and looked at Situ Jingyan and Shen Qianmo with a questioning expression.
Shen Qianmo quickly went over to check on Shengge's injuries. After confirming that she had only suffered superficial wounds and was not poisoned, she apologized to Xuanlou, saying, "Shengge was unaware of our agreement, so she was presumptuous."
"I see. Since you have already obtained the Fire Fruit, I will not keep you any longer." Xuan Lou simply smiled gently, his eyes still displaying the demeanor of a refined gentleman, but he subtly conveyed his intention to dismiss them.
A hint of disdain flashed in Situ Jingyan's eyes, and a wicked smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Then we'll meet again."
"Until we meet again. Don't forget our agreement." Situ Jingyan's meaning was crystal clear, and Xuan Lou, being a sensible man, simply smiled faintly and said, "Xuan Lou will certainly keep his promise."
Sheng Ge coldly clutched the fire fruit to his chest, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes. He wasn't stupid; he could tell from their conversation that they must have reached some kind of agreement. It was laughable that he was still risking his life to get the fire fruit.
Sheng Ge chuckled self-deprecatingly, a bitter smile creeping onto her face. When did she become like this? Wasn't she always calm and composed? Wasn't she always indifferent and aloof? Why did she lose her composure whenever it came to that man?
Could it be that she had really fallen in love with that man?! Falling in love with a man would be a great disgrace for him, but if it was that handsome and dashing man, it didn't seem so unacceptable.
"Master." Qingsong also helped Hongmei over. Hongmei's complexion had recovered a lot. As soon as Qianqian saw Hongmei, she rushed over and asked her all sorts of questions with concern.
After all, Hongmei had just saved Qianqian. Qianqian was naturally very grateful. However, Hongmei seemed ungrateful, with a sarcastic smile still on her lips. She was cold and indifferent to Qianqian's questions. But Shen Qianmo noticed that Hongmei's gaze towards Qianqian was very gentle.
"Are you leaving?" Xuanming blinked his eyes, looking at them with a hint of reluctance. When he glanced at Qianqian's cheek, he awkwardly looked away.
Qianqian has always been a carefree child, and she said unconsciously, "Don't be sad, you can still come and play with me in the future."
Upon hearing this, Xuanming's eyes brightened again.
Shen Qianmo simply sighed silently. After leaving this place, whether they would be friends or enemies remained to be seen. Where else could one find such pure friendship?
Xuan Lou's gentle, watery eyes glanced at Shen Qianmo's face, lingering slightly. A slight ripple appeared in his watery eyes, but when they met Situ Jingyan's gaze, that ripple vanished completely, and he returned to his deep, composed demeanor.
A slight smile played on Xuan Lou's lips, and a gentle ripple stirred within him. Her beauty was exceptional, her demeanor ethereal. Even more remarkable were her extraordinary insight and quick wit. Such a woman was indeed a remarkable one.
But he already had such a perfect other half. So what if this woman stirred his heartstrings? It was just a chance encounter, just a fleeting infatuation.