"Miss Qingli!"
Gu Qingli had just stepped out of her room when she was met by someone waiting at the doorway.
This was a distant cousin from the Gu family. Though Gu Qingli was not well acquainted with her, she knew that the girl was usually a devoted follower of Gu Qinglin, obediently trailing after her every move.
Ordinarily, Gu Qingli regarded her with disdain, yet today she stood anxiously at the threshold.
"What is it?" Gu Qingli arched an eyebrow.
"Miss Qingli, you've finally come out. Young Master Qingche has been attacked. I know you are close to him, so I came to inform you. You must hurry!"
Gu Qingli's expression instantly grew grave. How could this be?
She had presumed something had happened to Gu Qinglin, but unexpectedly, it was Qingche who had been hurt.
"You must go quickly, or else Young Master Qingche will be in great danger!"
Though Gu Qingli sensed there was some intrigue at play, since Qingche's safety was involved, she could not stand idly by.
"Why not inform the family head?" she asked.
An attack on Qingche was effectively an affront to the Gu family. Why bypass the patriarch and come directly to her?
"It's a contest among the youth. The elders of the family are not permitted to intervene. The duel is held in the Youth Battleground of Loulan City," the girl explained.
Gu Qingli frowned lightly.
"Lead the way."
Without delay, the distant cousin hurriedly escorted Gu Qingli out of the Gu estate.
Gu Qingli rarely ventured beyond the family grounds and was unfamiliar with Loulan City; this was the first she'd heard of such a place.
True to the girl's words, the venue was filled with young men and women, all in their youth.
Along the way, Gu Qingli gathered that this site belonged to the city lord's domain, a designated arena where young warriors could meet, spar, and hone their skills. All challenges here were consensual.
However, killing was strictly forbidden, and the city lord had stationed formidable guards to enforce this rule—no lives were to be lost.
The place was dominated by a vast, open hall, inside which lay an expansive arena ringed by broad platforms.
A crowd of youths gathered, whispering softly among themselves.
"Who is this suddenly appearing Young Master Wang? How dare he attack someone from the Gu family right here in Loulan City? Such audacity!"
"Indeed."
Murmurs rippled through the assembly. Gu Qingli's expression grew colder with every word; it was true—Qingche had indeed been injured.
Her arrival silenced the crowd. Once known throughout Loulan City as a worthless disgrace, she was now famed as a prodigious talent.
Without hesitation, Gu Qingli strode forward and found Qingche lying on the ground, his complexion pale, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth—his injuries were severe.
"How are you? Are you badly hurt?"
Ignoring the stares around her, she knelt beside Qingche, helping him to his feet, her delicate face darkened with concern.
Qingche looked up in surprise.
"Qingli, why are you here?"
"It was I who saw you injured and summoned Miss Qingli," the distant cousin interjected promptly.
By then, all eyes had turned to Gu Qingli. Supporting Qingche, she swept a cold gaze over the crowd.
Sure enough, Gu Qinglin was present as well, her face pale and anxious for Qingche's condition. Yet when she spotted Gu Qingli, a subtle glint of triumph flickered in her eyes.
Nearby stood Li Ke'er, confirming that this matter was far from simple.