?


    After Leonardoforted the two maidservants, he proceeded to send them away with the permission of allowing the Qing procession to enter the Ye Estate.


    As for Leonardo, he made his way toward the casual gazebo located in the grace of sunlight nearby. Fresh air, gentle trees, and lush grassy albeit artificial hills surrounded the gazebo, and it was located not far from the shade of one.


    Another maidservant was standing in the shade of the gazebo next to a cozy,id-back chair. She held a te of moistened fruits and fresh juice the color of apricot in her hands. This one in particr seemedposed— very professional. Not panicky but also not reckless or haughty.


    Her cultivation wasn''t low either— she was actually a 6th-tier cultivator, just like Vi''s subordinate, Attendant Rue. To have a 6th-tier as a maidservant; that''s extravagant.


    Leonardo''s feat of destroying Silent Melody or standing up to the sword projection from City Lord Huang wasn''t brought up in the circting rumors as no one wanted to get involved with a 9th-tier cultivator or earn the ire of the Qing family to an unrepentant decree.


    As for Leonardo, he too wouldn''t go around boasting about overpowering a 9th-tier cultivator.


    He could still remember how the projection of Junior Brother''s sword destroyed an entire sect the size of a medium city with one attack— formations, artificial mountains, rebirth realm cultivators; all of them were gone with one strike. The shockwave even swept through the outer regions of the sect, sting tens of thousands of disciples to their deaths.


    Keeping in mind that the attack wasn''t an area-focused attack yet the remnant, borderline ''harmless'' shockwaves whenpared with the epicenter was almost as powerful as one of Leonardo''s most powerful attacks.


    Perhaps if Leonardo was in the 7th-tier of singrity or 8th-tier of inception, he might stand a chance in a full-blown battle against a 9th-tier Star Lord.


    Until then, he should tread carefully on eggshells in these fortified cities and dangerous waters.


    "Your fruits, Attendant Ye," cold yet soft was her voice when she spoke, her slender fingers squeezing gently a piece of round fruit as she led it to Leonardo''s mouth.


    Subconsciously, Leonardo opened his mouth and took a bite, his lips grazing the edges of smooth, tender fingers.


    The hand shook eve-so-slightly, but it calmly retreated afterward to pluck yet another fruit from the te.


    Clear eyes shing with the multi colors of rainbow gazed down on Leonardo''s creased brows, a clear indication of the man''s troubled mind. Ever since she saw this man, his brows were in a constant lock, never unfolding from one another. This truly represented the pinnacle of a scheming advisor, always lost in an ocean of thoughts.


    Light footsteps broke the serenity of this moment as Lady Vi, Attendant Rue, and a few older men, some of them looked to be in a senior generation while some looked to be from a generation even past that.


    Among the procession was another young man who shared some resemnce to Lady Vi, though it wasn''t too distinct.


    Leonardo''s eyes swept the group once and unbeknownst to anyone watching, a swirl of darkness revolved once in his eyes as bits of ck lightning crackled, and a touch of a smile surfaced on Leonardo''s face when he discovered the expected. Then, that smile disappeared as quickly as it came while he rested his head back, mouth open ever-so-slightly.


    The maid understood, albeit somewhat ufortable and confused. Nheless, she proceeded to slide a piece of fruit down Leonardo''s throat, and thetter enjoyed the taste.


    Lady Vi and Attendant Rue didn''t find this sign of disrespect as anything unexpected. In fact, they had assumed they''d face more humiliation than this when they first set off. Lady Vi, in particr, had to swallow a stomach of anger as she gestured to one of the men behind her.


    "Grab us some seats… Unless, of course, Attendant Ye doesn''t wee us seated?" Lady Vi attempted to draw Leonardo''s attention with her sarcasm, but her only response was another piece of fruit sinking into the bottomless hole that was Leonardo''s throat.


    Despite her anger, she didn''t speak again. To her side, Attendant Rue was very worried herdy might do something to antagonize Leonardo;st time''s lesson was still itching within her very soul.


    This man may seemid back and casual, but he could get pretty damn ruthless when ticked off. Not wanting things to escte, she took the initiative to rush off ande back with another chair— a replica of Leonardo''s.


    She meticulously arranged the chair in a mirror reflection position from Leonardo''s, where the heads of both seats were very close, and the bottoms spread out like the wings of an elegant swan.


    Attendant Rue then helped herself to a serving of cold fruits on the side table and stood respectfully next to Leonardo''s maidservant, her attitude and stance impable. She didn''t know that the person by her side was also a 6th-tier cultivator— not even Lady Vi noticed it.


    As for Leonardo, even though he was supposed to not notice either… Who are they trying to fool? He simply acted ignorant of the fact, exploiting this maidservant to the extreme while keeping her in the dark about anything of interest to her.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Lady Vi understood the lengths her attendant went to and thus, she gritted her teeth and told the rest of her entourage, "You can leave now; this conversation is about to be a private one."


    The people behind her shared concerned looks.


    The young man who shared her resemnce spoke up at this point, "Cousin—…"


    "It''s Mistress Vi or Lady Vi— don''t forget your position just because we''re blood-rted." Lady Vi interrupted him, continuing, "I want everyone to leave this instance; this includes you."


    Her final words were directed at the young maidservant who stood by Leonardo''s chair. The maidservant looked up at Lady Vi, and thetter was surprised by the abundance of colors in the former''s eyes; they were beautiful. However, not an ounce of emotion, let alone jealousy, could be seen in her eyes.


    Leonardo didn''t mind and said, "She can go, but your attendant would have topensate for herck of presence."


    The maidservant was surprised, thinking that her efforts weren''t high enough to score a presence in Leonardo''s books as an irreceable maid yet. Her mission was to get closer to him and wedge herself in his heart as someone he could confide in, open up, and treat like a close confidant.


    Yet, despite her attempts at being the perfect impression of an obedient maidservant— something seemed to becking.


    Lady Vi was stunned… This man desired her personal attendant to stand as his maidservant. Is he nuts?


    However, before she could reply, Attendant Rue voiced her agreement without hesitation, "Sure thing, Brother Ye…"


    Even as Attendant Rue spoke, she signaled to herdy with her eyes that they had much more pressing matters to care about— these things were no more than little trivialitiespared to the greater picture.


    Leonardo was surprised, did she just call him Brother Ye? Then again, they were both attendees so it made sense.


    Lady Vi was also stunned by her attendant''s behavior, but she ultimately thought nothing of it. As everyone else dispersed unwittingly, and most unwitting of them all was Leonardo''s new maidservant, he surreptitiously erected an istion barrier with a wisp of his deste intent, not allowing anyone to spy on the conversation to unfold.


    Far in the distance, among the procession of the Qing family, a couple of expressions twisted in an ugly fashion.


    Likewise, the new maidservant with rainbow eyes creased her brows, fists clenched tightly. Exasperated, she could only disappear behind the artificial hills.


    Lady Vi removed her long coat, revealing a cut-short jacket and white shirt underneath. Further below, a fitbat pants designed for heavy physical exercise hugged her long legs.


    She had a stunning body for a femalebatant, though not asparable to Leonardo''s disciple, Wendy.


    Lady Vi smoothly walked around Leonardo and took her seat in a rxed manner, her ck hair flowing to the ground, a gust of wind carrying her fresh fragrance toward Leonardo''s nostrils even as the sound of her deep breathing tickled his senses.


    Was she tantly trying to disturb his state of mind?


    Leonardo almostughed, thinking that two could y this game. With a teasing glint in his eyes, he rested his head back and closed his eyes, slowly parting his lips.


    The ever-observant Attendant Rue noticed this gesture, and since she had observed the maidservant from earlier, she knew what to do. Thus, despite feeling bad for herdy, she plucked a fresh fruit and popped it into Leonardo''s mouth. Leonardo''s lips mped shut gently, his lips seemingly identally touching down Lady Rue''s snow-white fingers.


    At that moment, a streak of harmless, ck lightning shed from Leonardo''s skin and shook through Lady Rue''s nervous system, but thetter only took this as a sudden goosebump that sent her heart aflutter and rocked her knees into weakness.


    With a flustered, flushed red face, she withdrew her hand even as her heartbeat pounded hard in her mind.


    "What''s wrong?" Lady Vi asked, feeling something amiss with Attendant Rue.