That Young Man Was Too Remarkable

Qian Renxue, standing nearby, immediately understood what he was thinking when she saw his expression.

But to maintain her persona, she had no choice but to speak up and advise him.

"Father Emperor, if you intend to send men to seize it by force, then I dare suggest that you abandon that idea as soon as possible."

Xue Ye raised his head to look at her, somewhat startled. "Abandon it?"

"Qinghe, what do you mean?"

"We are an empire. Could it be that we cannot handle a mere Duel Arena?"

Xue Qinghe spoke sincerely and solemnly. "Father Emperor, please calm your anger. Now that the Heavenly Curtain has revealed them, we are far from the only ones watching them."

"Spirit Hall, the Three Great Sects, even the Star Luo Empire—they have likely already begun targeting them."

"If we act rashly, other forces may stab us in the back!"

Those words struck right at Xue Ye's concerns.

With the situation still unclear, it truly was unwise to act rashly.

Xue Ye took a deep breath and calmed himself. "Qinghe is right."

"However..." He narrowed his eyes unwillingly.

"I cannot simply stand by and watch."

"Send someone bearing generous gifts to the Dark Night Arena for another round of negotiations."

"Probe their true strength!"

Xue Qinghe sneered inwardly, but respectfully accepted the order. "I will make the arrangements at once!"

After leaving the bedchamber, Qian Renxue looked at the enormous Heavenly Curtain in the sky and could not help but let out a soft laugh.

"Probe their true strength?"

"Is Qin Chen's true strength really something you can uncover?"

Although she only had a partial understanding of what had happened in the Duel Arena, what she had seen on the surface alone was enough to make her tremble!

"I need to send someone to notify Grandpa and the others as soon as possible. They must not act rashly."

"Otherwise, a great battle between both sides will be unavoidable..."

Heaven Dou City.

An Old Tavern.

At this moment, the tavern was filthy and smoky. The smell of alcohol mixed with the stench of sweat, filling every corner.

A group of thoroughly drunkards had their feet propped on stools, spitting as they discussed the scenes displayed on the Heavenly Curtain.

"Burp..."

"Tell me, just how many lifetimes of good fortune did that Arena Master cultivate?"

A Big Man with a face full of beard gulped down a mouthful of wine, his expression full of envy, jealousy, and resentment.

"That was Catwoman! Obedient and well-behaved, and he merely took her in."

"Yet she was willing to call him Master with such complete devotion?"

A skinny monkey-like man beside him laughed lewdly, waggling his eyebrows.

"And that Arena Master could still calmly read? If it were me, hehe..."

"I probably would not even be able to get out of bed with those two!"

"Hahahaha! Exactly!"

The surrounding drinkers erupted into crude laughter, and the air was filled with a muddled sense of merriment.

Just then.

"Creak—"

The tavern's Wooden Door was pushed open.

A fresh, fragrant breeze, like gardenias after rain,

instantly swept away the stench of alcohol in the tavern.

The laughter of the drunkards came to an abrupt halt, and they all turned to look.

A young girl in a plain white dress walked in.

She looked to be only fourteen or fifteen years old. Her skin was fairer than snow, and her soft, flowing hair draped over her shoulders.

Her noble and pure aura made her seem like a white swan that had wandered into a pigsty.

She was completely out of place in this dirty, shabby tavern.

She was none other than the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong.

She wrinkled her delicate little nose, clearly disliking the smell here.

Yet she endured her discomfort and walked straight to the tavern counter.

"Boss."

Ning Rongrong unfolded a portrait in her hand, her voice crisp. "Have you seen this person?"

The portrait showed a young man standing with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his lips.

Even in a painting, his extraordinary bearing was obvious.

The Boss, a middle-aged man who had been wiping glasses, casually glanced at the portrait.

"Never seen him."

There were countless people who came to the tavern every day. How could he have the time to remember them all?

Ning Rongrong bit her lip. Just as she was about to ask something else, several drunkards who had had too much to drink surrounded her.

Their drunken eyes roamed greedily over Ning Rongrong's body.

"Oh? Whose Little Sister is this? So pretty, coming here to look for her lover?"

The Bearded Man bared a mouthful of yellow teeth and reached out to grab Ning Rongrong's arm.

"Who are you looking for? This uncle here is pretty good too."

"Come on, let uncle hold you. Uncle will help you look!"

"Hahaha, exactly. Maybe we know something."

Skinny Monkey also leaned closer, holding a wine cup and reeking of alcohol.

"Little Sister, drink a couple of cups with Brother. If you make me happy, maybe I'll remember that I know the man in this portrait!"

"Get lost!"

Ning Rongrong abruptly stepped back, glaring at the group in disgust as she coldly spat out a single word.

"Oh ho? She's got quite the temper?"

Rather than getting angry, the Big Man became even more excited. "I like them spicy! That's got some kick!"

As he spoke, he spread his arms and lunged toward her.

However.

Just as his filthy hand was about to reach Ning Rongrong,

"Boom!"

A terrifying aura descended upon the tavern without warning.

Everyone present felt as though an enormous mountain had suddenly collapsed above their heads. The air became heavier than iron.

"Clatter!"

"Crash!"

The sound of countless wine cups shattering rang out.

The drunkards who had been grinning lewdly moments ago instantly turned deathly pale.

As though invisible hands were pressing down on their heads, they all dropped to their knees with thuds.

The Bearded Man was pressed flat against the ground, every bone in his body cracking loudly. He had been scared completely sober.

"I would like to see."

An aged yet killing voice echoed faintly through the tavern.

"How exactly you intend to make my precious granddaughter drink with you?"

The crowd stiffly turned in terror, only to see a spotless White-robed Elder standing beside Ning Rongrong at some unknown point.

His hands were clasped behind his back, and his eyes seemed to conceal two sharp swords.

Merely being swept by his gaze made their skin sting with pain.

He was Sword Douluo, Chen Xin!

"Spare... spare us..."

The Big Man no longer had even a trace of his earlier arrogance. He felt as though his heart was about to be crushed apart by that imposing aura.

Chen Xin snorted coldly, utterly disdaining to personally deal with such trash.

Ning Rongrong did not even glance at the trash on the ground.

She raised the portrait again and held it before the Boss, whose legs were trembling and whose face was covered in cold sweat.

"Boss, I'll ask you one more time."

Ning Rongrong's beautiful Big Eyes locked onto him. "Do you really not know him?"

The Boss, who had seemed utterly indifferent just moments ago, forced out a fawning smile even uglier than crying.

"I remember now. I... I know him!"

Ning Rongrong's eyes instantly lit up. Her previous coldness collapsed at once as she anxiously asked, "Where is he? Tell me quickly!"

The Boss wiped the sweat from his forehead and said awkwardly, "Miss... I don't know where he is..."

"Then when was the last time he came here?" Ning Rongrong pressed.

The Boss trembled as he tried to recall. "I... I think it was around two years ago."

"Bang!"

Ning Rongrong slammed her hand down on the table in anger, startling the Boss into shuddering.

"You're messing with me?!"

"You can remember a customer from two years ago so clearly?" Ning Rongrong felt as if she had been made a fool of.

"I wouldn't dare!" The Boss was nearly in tears as he hurriedly explained.

"It's mainly because that young man was too remarkable!"

"The reason I remember the man in the portrait so well is because he didn't come alone back then."

"With... with who?"

"There was a Golden-haired Woman beside him. Her looks... she was practically a goddess, unbelievably beautiful!"

At the words "Golden-haired Woman," Ning Rongrong froze.

The Boss continued describing her, seemingly still immersed in the shock from that time.

"And there was more than one!"