Was the Ice Block Deliberate or Accidental?

The private room of the Young Marquis the prestigious Wang family of Prince of Southern Pacification was not luxurious at all; there were no tea or snacks on the table, only two bowls of steaming wide noodles.

He had one bowl, and the square-faced middle-aged man sitting opposite him had one bowl.

"Not bad, not bad. It seems my training over this period has been quite effective."

Upon seeing his name, Zhong Zhenyue's appetite increased dramatically, and he shouted for two more bowls from the restaurant.

"His Prince should see this too, and he'll be very happy." The square-faced middle-aged man's smile pulled at the scars on his face, but it didn't look ferocious; instead, it revealed his shrewdness.

"My father has never praised me."

Zhong Zhenyue recalled his father, the Prince of Southern Pacification's, stern expression and shook his head vigorously.

My father only ever praised three young heroes on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.

One was Xie Xuan, the Sword Chief of Heavenly Mountain, and the other two... were naturally the young man and woman who had just entered the Hidden Dragon Ranking and were already ranked at the top.

Zhong Zhenyue couldn't help but consider the two of them as his targets to catch up with.

"I wonder what Ying Bing and Li Mo's recent achievements have been."

Zhong Zhenyue immediately flipped to the second page of the Hidden Dragon Ranking.

No?

He slurped up a mouthful of noodles, then flipped the bowl over again, but still nothing.

"No way..."

Zhong Zhenyue muttered to himself as he turned to the first page of the booklet.

"Young Marquis?!"

The square-faced middle-aged general saw his Young Marquis choke on a mouthful of hot, spicy noodles and quickly handed him water.

"The tenth... the eleventh?"

Zhong Zhenyue stared blankly at the rankings, his gaze unfocused.

"Divine Observation Realm slaying Sixth Grade Calamity Beast, and outnumbered at that? How did these two manage that?"

The square-faced middle-aged man looked on in amazement.

Having served in the military for so long, how could he not know the terror of Calamity Beast? Even with his External Scene Realm cultivation, he couldn't guarantee that he could kill two Sixth Grade Calamity Beast at the same time.

Calamity Beast are cunning; they will flee if they sense danger.

But that wasn't the reason he fell into deep thought.

"Going deep into Southern Border? And even visiting the Hanging Temple?"

"No wonder... no wonder..."

"Uncle Qu, no wonder what?"

Zhong Zhenyue took a deep breath, composed himself, and asked.

"Young Marquis, do you remember the recent military report?" Qu Sheng deliberately guided Zhong Zhenyue to think.

"Remember..."

Zhong Zhenyue pondered for a moment, then said:

"Recently, the Calamity Beast in the western part of the Southern Border have become increasingly rampant, and many human tribes in the Southern Border have shown signs of migration..."

"The Hou Clan, Calamity Beast, has clashed with the Giant Whale Clan."

"The mighty demon of the Cry Dragon Clan battled the Calamity Beast- bringing demon, the Nine-Headed Bird, in the Blackwater Marsh..."

As he reminisced, Zhong Zhenyue suddenly realized that the Demon Race territory in the Southern Border region had recently descended into complete chaos.

Are the Demon Beast and the Calamity Beast fighting? Although they don't like each other, they generally keep to themselves.

There must be a reason why the fighting suddenly became so fierce.

"Many Calamity Beast have left their own territories and entered the territory of Demon Beast," Qu Sheng said softly.

Zhong Zhenyue seemed to be deep in thought, and murmured:

"I've heard that a man and a woman slew several Witch Spirit that had been transformed from Calamity Beast in the tribal villages of Southern Border."

He took out a map he carried with him and began to draw it, arriving at the answer after a short while.

"Li Mo and Ying Bing obtained the so-called Divine Jade at the Hanging Temple, which is why the Calamity Beast were chasing them, but were stopped by the Demon Race?"

"They're returning to Nanguan City, and they'll be passing through there again..."

Qu Sheng's eyes revealed a satisfied expression.

Before Zhong Zhenyue could react, the waiter brought over two bowls of noodles, and he heard a very familiar voice.

"Waiter, are there any upper-class rooms available?"

Li Mo led Ying Bing to the counter of Jiawei Restaurant.

"Of course we have it." The waiter was wiping the table with his head down.

He was about to ask if it was one room or two when he froze.

The boy was holding a sugar-painted figurine, which looked like a woman... well, you could tell it was the one next to him.

Ice Block couldn't possibly eat candy through a veil, so she lifted a corner of the veil, revealing half of her jade-like face. Her lips, glistening with sugar syrup, were breathtaking.

"Ice Block, what do I taste like?"

"I'm done eating."

The bamboo skewer in Ying Bing's hand was empty.

Li Mo glanced at her delicate lips, and as if possessed, he reached out his thumb to wipe away the syrup.

Ying Bing was taken aback for a moment, then gently licked the corner of her lips.

Li Mo: "!"

Was the Ice Block intentional or accidental?

He had already managed to resist licking his fingers.

"..."

The waiter's silence was deafening. After holding it in for a long time, he turned around and shouted:

"One superior room!"

"Etc!"

Zhong Zhenyue's shout came from above.

A moment later.

In the side room.

"Brother Zhong, you ordered noodles, why aren't you eating them?"

Li Mo didn't expect that the two would meet again so soon after he learned that Zhong Zhenyue had come to Greenwood City.

The last time was at Southern Pass, where the other party gave him a token.

"I suddenly feel very full."

Zhong Zhenyue stroked his chin, wondering what was causing this sudden feeling of fullness.

If the cause can be found, the difficulty of procuring military provisions will decrease dramatically.

"Oh, okay, I'll eat it for you then."

"Thank you."

Li Mo licked his fingers, picked up his chopsticks, and said:

"Brother Zhong, weren't you doing just fine in the Southern Pass? Why did you end up in Greenwood City?"

"..."

Zhong Zhenyue was speechless for a moment, and it took him a long time to say:

"Just... taking a stroll."

Are you suggesting that I've come here to gain experience and catch up with you two?

"This is Uncle Qu Sheng, also the garrison commander of Qingmu Town."

Zhong Zhenyue then introduced the square-faced middle-aged man who had been watching the two of them.

"I have long admired the names of these two young prodigies."

Qu Sheng nodded slightly.

Zhong Zhenyue had no choice but to admit defeat, and sighed:

"Brother Li, you actually ventured deep into the Demon Race realm of the Southern Border to hone your skills. From the very beginning, I lost to you in terms of determination and courage."

"To hone oneself?"

Li Mo shook his head and pointed to the Ice Block beside him. "I'm going to find her."

Ying Bing said coldly, "Pick up stars for him."

This is her usual way of dealing with people.

It's just that I can't maintain a normal attitude towards certain people.

Zhong Zhenyue: "..."

Qu Sheng: "..."

It was quite sudden.

"Are you two planning to return to Southern Pass?" Qu Sheng suddenly asked.

"Exactly."

Qu Sheng paused for a moment and then said, "Then I suggest that you two stay in Greenwood City for a while. This place is, after all, a major human city, where you can avoid the dangers of the Calamity Beast."

These two little ones have already shown great promise; he naturally intends to befriend such future powerhouses.

"Um..."

Li Mo pondered for a moment.

He really needs a quiet environment to perfect his Seventy-Two Transformations and comprehend the Somersault Cloud.

Sharpening your axe won't delay your woodcutting.

Moreover, when he looked at those little kids just now, he couldn't help but think of Lu Fuying, and there was still something he had promised the little girl that he hadn't done yet.

He looked at Ying Bing, and the girl nodded slightly.

"Then thank you very much, Commander Qu."

After thanking him, Li Mo said somewhat embarrassedly, "Um, I have something else I'd like to ask Commander Qu for help with."

"Go ahead and tell me."

"When I passed through Treasure Vase Town, I promised to deliver a message for a family. I wonder if Commander Qu's army can find a soldier named Lu Yi?"

Qu Sheng's eyes showed surprise, but after a long while, he felt somewhat gratified.

He agreed to help with the investigation.

Zhong Zhenyue took a deep breath and invited him with a burning gaze:

"I was just about to go look for someone anyway, Brother Li, why don't you come back to the military camp with me?"

He still remembered how Li Mo had given guidance to many people back in Yun Province.

And the girl beside him possessed unfathomable martial arts skills.

He wanted to use the military formation to experience just how big the gap was between him and Li Mo.

"Soldiers are often rude, especially in the military. They speak without restraint and might easily offend Young Hero Li," Qu Sheng, frowning.

Soldiers are all rough and tough men.

With his refined and elegant appearance, Young Hero Li could easily be mistaken for a weak scholar or a scion of a noble Aristocratic Clan, lacking any physical strength.

"We should win people over with virtue."

Li Mo smiled nonchalantly.