Chapter 2439: Sure enough, it's you

Youdie nodded. "When a City Lord of a Dao Integration City clashes with others, others are needed to remain behind and guard the city. A Bug Mother's command over a Dao Integration City is more perfect than that of other cultivators of similar cultivation levels, because, in essence, a bug nest can also be considered a Dao Integration City. We Bug Mothers begin controlling bug nests as soon as our cultivation matures, so controlling a Dao Integration City in various ways is not difficult for us at all."

Dao Integration Cities in the Inner World come in various forms, not just the city appearance Lu Ye had seen. Among them, the most distinctive in terms of race are the Dao Integration Cities of the Bug Clan, which are entirely composed of bug nests.

Youdie hadn't been in the Inner World for too long, so she wasn't capable of building her own Dao Integration City. She could only choose a suitable affiliation. With her Bug Mother identity and Dao Integration cultivation, joining an Earth-grade Dao Integration City would be effortless.

Once her cultivation became strong and her wings were fully grown, she would naturally build her own Dao Integration City.

However, now that she had met Lu Ye, she had other plans. Regardless of any Dao Integration City, Lu Ye himself held a huge attraction for her.

She had personally witnessed all sorts of incredible things about Lu Ye.

When they parted ways back then, Lu Ye had only just entered the Dao. But now, he had already reached the sixth stage of Dao Fusion!

This was certainly someone who could soar to great heights if they seized an opportunity. How could there be no benefits to staying by such a person's side?

Therefore, whether from a personal emotional perspective or from the perspective of practical benefits, Youdie felt that being with Lu Ye was her best and most advantageous choice.

Lu Ye pondered.

Did Yuan Xi want other cultivators to join? She hadn't shown such a desire before, but Yuan Xi clearly intended to expand the Dao Integration City. Therefore, it was impossible for the Dao Integration City to have only the two of them in the future.

Moreover, this time he also needed to bring Cui Can back.

Perhaps he could indeed suggest it.

"Brother Ye, where is your Dao Integration City located?" Youdie asked again.

"What do you want to do?" Lu Ye asked.

"I'll set off first! The Inner World is vast, it will take time for me to get there," Youdie said, as if it were obvious.

"Are you so sure my City Lord won't refuse you?"

Youdie said coquettishly, "Then I'll have to ask Brother Ye to put in a good word for me when the time comes."

"What about your City Lord? Will they be willing to let you leave?"

Youdie pouted, "If I want to leave, no one can stop me." As she spoke, she took out her star map and handed it to Lu Ye. "It's settled!"

Lu Ye quietly looked at her for a moment, then reached out and took the star map. After carefully examining it and confirming the location, he left a mark on it.

Youdie treated it as a treasure, carefully put away the star map, and stood up, saying, "Brother Ye, wait for me!"

Then she dashed away, as if she had encountered something especially delightful.

After a moment of silence, Lu Ye finally got up, paid the bill, and left.

Returning to the grand hall, Lu Ye raised his hand and grabbed Cui Can's arm. A moment later, their figures vanished from the spot.

As soon as they returned to the Dao Integration City, Yuan Xi's voice sounded in his ear: "Grand Commander, you're finally back... Who is this?"

Lu Ye turned his head to look, and saw Yuan Xi standing not far away, watching him.

"Were you waiting for me, madam?" Lu Ye asked.

There was no reason for Yuan Xi to just happen to be here, so it was highly probable that she had been waiting for him specifically.

Lu Ye wasn't sure what she wanted.

Yuan Xi was curiously appraising Cui Can. She was clearly a bit surprised that Lu Ye had brought someone back after going out, and a woman at that. Judging by her cultivation, it was passable, but she seemed very submissive.

"This is Cui Can," Lu Ye introduced. "And this is City Lord Yuan Xi, Madam Yuan Xi!"

Yuan Xi puffed out her chest, trying to appear majestic: "Call me City Lord!"

Cui Can obediently bowed, "This servant greets City Lord!"

Yuan Xi subtly winked at Lu Ye, then pulled him aside and whispered, "Did you buy her? How much did she cost? Don't tell me you got swindled. If you'd said you wanted to buy one, I would have taken you myself."

Lu Ye couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation. He shook his head and said, "She wasn't bought; someone gave her to me."

Yuan Xi looked astonished. "Who would give you a maid like this?!" A maid with such looks and figure wouldn't be cheap. She couldn't imagine what kind of connections Lu Ye had in the Dao Integration World for someone to give him such a maid.

Lu Ye felt a headache coming on, unsure how to explain it. So he simply said directly, "The Arena gifted her to me."

"Old Dog Qin?" Yuan Xi was startled.

"Old Dog Qin"... that must refer to Qin Feng. However, hearing Yuan Xi's address and tone towards Qin Feng, they must be quite familiar with each other, and it seemed there was some enmity between them.

"So it *was* you, Grand Commander! I knew I wasn't mistaken!" Yuan Xi suddenly laughed again.

"What?"

"The Nameless Guest!" Yuan Xi lowered her voice.

Lu Ye blinked. "So you saw it, madam." What a coincidence; he hadn't expected Yuan Xi to have watched that previous battle. This would save him a lot of explanation.

Yuan Xi, smiling broadly, patted Lu Ye's shoulder: "Well done! Thanks to you, I made a small fortune too!" At first, she thought the Nameless Guest was Lu Ye, but then she didn't think so. Until now, she finally confirmed that the Nameless Guest was indeed her Grand Commander of the City Guards!

"As long as you're happy, madam." Lu Ye's mouth twitched. He didn't need to think; Yuan Xi must have placed a bet on him earlier.

"So, because you brought massive profits to the Arena, Old Dog Qin was overjoyed and gave you a maid?"

"Something like that." Lu Ye couldn't be bothered to explain further. Anyway, no matter the reason, the outcome was the same.

"Then accept her. Although Old Dog Qin isn't much of a person, his character is trustworthy. Since he gave her to you, she's yours, and you'll have no further entanglement with him."

Lu Ye still had one concern: "Could she be a spy?"

Yuan Xi shook her head. "No, Old Dog Qin wouldn't use such petty, undignified tricks that would only invite ridicule!"

Hearing her words, Lu Ye completely put his mind at ease.

"Do you have an enmity with that Arena Master Qin, madam?" Lu Ye was a bit curious.

Yuan Xi curled her lips in disdain. "You could say there's enmity, or you could say there isn't. We just don't see eye to eye. You don't need to concern yourself with matters at the Dao Integration level."

"But Arena Master Qin asked me to join the Arena. Will that cause any trouble for you, madam?" This was what Lu Ye was worried about.

"He wants you to join the Arena? Ah, right, with your strength, it's no surprise that he'd take notice. Go ahead and join; you're my person anyway, and he can't take you from me."

The way she spoke... Lu Ye didn't know how to refute her.

"There's one more matter I need to report to you, madam."

"Go on," Yuan Xi said genially.

Lu Ye then briefly recounted Youdie's situation.