Watching Is Fine, Spending Is Welcome

Outside a quiet, luxurious room on the top floor of the Duel Arena.

Doudou skipped to a stop at the door, adjusted her dress and hair, then knocked politely.

"Monarch~ Monarch~ It's Doudou!"

"Come in."

Qin Chen's gentle, smiling voice came from inside.

Doudou pushed the door open. The moment she entered, the scene inside left her stunned.

Good lord, it was full of beauties!

The spacious room was filled with fragrant scents, every woman vying in beauty.

Miss Xue'er, dressed in white and carrying herself with noble purity, stood prettily at the Monarch's side.

The voluptuous, beautiful woman, the chief financial steward Liu Erlong, lounged lazily by the Window Side.

Pouring tea for him with a cold expression was the Monarch's personal little butler, the full-figured Zhu Zhuqing.

And Catwoman Hua Xi, who had just made the ranking, was comfortably lying in the Monarch's arms, occasionally rubbing against him with a look of complete satisfaction.

"Wow."

Doudou blinked her Big Eyes. Rather than feeling awkward, she eagerly moved closer.

"Looks like I came at just the right time!"

She went straight up to Qin Chen and deliberately puffed out her rather impressive chest.

Then she deliberately spun around to show off her new Soul Ring.

"Monarch, look, look! I made the ranking too!"

"Did I bring honor to our Duel Arena? Do I get any rewards?"

Seeing how lively Doudou was, Qin Chen could not help but smile.

After recovering, Doudou had become more cheerful than before and loved life even more.

And you are not worried at all? Aren't you afraid a whole crowd will come and snatch you away?

Qin Chen nodded with a smile. "You certainly brought us honor. I'll raise your salary and double your reward!"

"Come on!"

Doudou pouted. "Who wants that stinking money? It's not like I'm short on spending money now."

She reached out, grabbed Qin Chen's arm, and shook it.

"Come shopping with me, come pick flowers with me, okay~?"

The moment she said that, the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

Liu Erlong looked over with a faintly amused smile.

Zhu Zhuqing had just prepared to bring over the tea she had poured, but turned around and set it back down.

Qian Renxue also turned to look over with a cold face.

Before Qin Chen could speak.

Knock, knock.

There was another knock at the door.

This time, it was not as cheerful as Doudou's. It was steady and restrained.

A cool voice like an icy spring sounded from outside, filled with utmost respect.

"Monarch."

"Someone outside is looking for Miss Xue'er. They said they have come to take her back."

It was Xue Linglong, who had intimidated the entire arena just moments ago.

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue frowned. She knew that the only person who could come here looking for her was Uncle Snake Lance.

For him to come directly here now, he must have been in a hurry.

Could something have happened at the Imperial Palace?

Although she wanted to stay with Qin Chen a little longer, Qian Renxue knew how to distinguish priorities.

"Qin Chen, it seems I have to leave first."

Qian Renxue looked deeply at Qin Chen, a trace of reluctance flashing through her eyes.

She still had not heard the answer to that question.

"Wait for me... I'll come find you after I'm done."

After saying that, she did not wait for Qin Chen's response.

She adjusted her skirt, resumed her proud and aloof demeanor, and quickly walked out of the room.

With Qian Renxue's departure, the room fell silent for a moment.

Tap, tap, tap.

But then Xue Linglong walked straight up to Qin Chen and dropped to one knee.

Her icy, beautiful face was now filled with respect.

"Monarch, I have a report."

"Because the Heavenly Ranking consecutively revealed information on Hua Xi and Doudou."

"There are now quite a few people gathered near the Duel Arena."

"Many rats have already slipped in and are gathering information everywhere."

"Should we directly eliminate these things that do not know their place?"

Under normal circumstances, she would not have needed to ask about such a trivial matter. But with the Heavenly Ranking, the situation was too chaotic, and she did not dare make a decision lightly.

Qin Chen leaned back on the sofa, his expression utterly calm.

"No need."

"Since they want to investigate, let them all come in."

"After all, we are open for business. Why would we turn customers away?"

"The more people there are, the more profit they bring."

As Qin Chen spoke, his fingers lightly tapped the armrest a few times. "However, our rules cannot be broken."

"Watching is fine, spending is welcome, but anyone who causes trouble will be killed on the spot."

It was a simple sentence, regardless of who they were or what faction they came from.

"You will have to work a little harder, though."

Those final words made Xue Linglong pause with her head lowered, and a faint smile appeared on her cool face.

"Yes, Monarch!"

After delivering her report, she did not rise immediately.

Under the watchful eyes of Hua Xi, Zhu Zhuqing, Liu Erlong, and Doudou beside them.

Xue Ming Douluo, whom outsiders viewed as a God of Slaughter, slowly extended her hand.

With gentle movements, she lifted Qin Chen's right hand from his knee.

Then her pale pink lips softly pressed against the back of Qin Chen's hand.

"To clear away obstacles for you is the entire meaning of Linglong's life."

If the people in the Audience Seat outside had seen this scene, their eyes would probably have fallen out and shattered all over the ground.

Her lips were cold and soft. The sensation traveled clearly through the back of his hand. Only after several seconds did Xue Linglong reluctantly let go.

When she stood up and turned to leave, she had once more regained that icy demeanor that kept strangers at a distance.

"Ah, I want that too~ I want that too~"

Seeing her leave, Doudou immediately clung to Qin Chen again, chirping endlessly beside him.

Meanwhile, in the dim corridor on the second floor of the Duel Arena.

Xue Linglong slowed her pace and raised a hand, somewhat obsessively brushing her fingers over her lips.

Her once-cold eyes turned into a pool of spring water at that moment.

"Monarch..."

She murmured softly, then composed herself again and walked downstairs.

Tap, tap, tap.

The crisp sound of her footsteps echoed through the corridor.

As the Old Spectators of the Duel Arena would put it, that was the countdown to the Grim Reaper harvesting your life.

Sunset Forest.

Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, who had been laughing heartily just moments ago, was now pacing anxiously in circles.

"Oh, my little ancestor!"

Dugu Bo looked at his granddaughter, who was sitting on a boulder in a daze, and tried to persuade her earnestly.

"Let's go! Right now!"

"You saw the Peerless Beauty Ranking too. If you make the ranking, those lunatics will definitely come rushing over!"

"Grandpa may be a Titled Douluo, but I can't withstand that many people!"

"Let's hide in some remote mountain valley where nobody knows us for a while."

"Once the Ranking List finishes being revealed, we can come back if it's safe, all right?"

Dugu Bo had feared neither heaven nor earth his entire life.

But this time, he was truly afraid—afraid that something would happen to his precious granddaughter.

Quite a few people knew about this place, and every one of them was a lunatic!

He believed that if his granddaughter made the ranking, someone would definitely come looking!

However.

Dugu Yan, sitting on the boulder, shook her head. Her voice was soft, but her stubbornness was as firm as an ox's.

"If I leave and he comes back, what if he can't find me?"

"And..."

She touched her strikingly beautiful face, a trace of hope flashing through her eyes.

"You said it yourself. I have a chance of making the ranking."

"If I make the ranking, my name will spread throughout the Douluo Continent!"

"Then he will definitely come looking for me!"

Hearing his granddaughter's words, Dugu Bo felt his chest tighten, nearly coughing up a mouthful of blood.

"You... you foolish girl!"

"At a time like this, you're still thinking about that heartless man?"

"If he wanted to find you, he would have come long ago! Would he need to wait until now?!"

Dugu Bo stamped his feet in fury.

Looking at this granddaughter who was hopelessly lovesick, he could neither bear to hit her nor scold her awake. He could only sigh toward the heavens.

"Grandpa!" Dugu Yan glared at him unhappily. "You're not allowed to speak badly about him!"

Heavens, someone please save this old man!

"Fine, fine, fine. I won't say it, I won't say it..."

Dugu Bo plopped down onto the ground and stared lifelessly at the Heavenly Ranking, praying that she would not make the ranking.