Third Trial

"Sure."

The two words were light and casual, as though he were merely answering a neighbor asking whether he had eaten.

"..."

"..."

The entire venue once again sank into an eerie silence.

Su... sure?

That was it?

That was Princess Long Ziyue's invitation! And he dismissed it with just those two words?

Not even a polite remark? Not even the faintest expression of delight?

On the platform, a momentary stiffness appeared on Long Ziyue's cool, jade-like face. She had imagined that he might gladly agree, and she had imagined that he might deliberately decline with an air of mystery—but she had never imagined such a... bland answer.

As if, in his eyes, discussing the art of artifact refinement with her was no different from discussing it with some ordinary cultivator by the roadside.

This guy...

For the first time, Long Ziyue felt an absurd urge to laugh and cry at once. Yet immediately afterward, her curiosity toward Chen Changqing only grew stronger.

Just as the awkward atmosphere reached its peak, a stern voice finally shattered the deadlock.

"Ahem!"

Upon the platform, Patriarch Long Gan gave a heavy cough, forcibly drawing everyone's attention back.

His face was ashen, and his gaze swept across the venue. Especially when he saw the wreckage scattered everywhere and the dazed prodigies, the corner of his eye twitched uncontrollably.

What kind of mess was this?!

A perfectly good Dragon Gate marriage-selection assembly had been forcibly turned into this brat's personal stage! The True Dragon Clan had lost face all the way to grandma's house today!

Yet he could not vent his anger.

After all, the other party had summoned an Immortal Artifact tribulation through genuine skill. Everything had followed the rules.

Long Gan drew a deep breath, suppressing the surging blood and qi in his