Renewed Conflict

"How dare you, lowly commoner! What a wild fantasy, daring to discuss the Third Princess?"

Upon hearing this voice, everyone's expression changed. Fatty Yu couldn't help but curse, "Which idiotic woman is it? Come out here!"

As soon as Fatty Yu finished speaking, a table, carrying a whistling gust of wind, flew out from the corridor and smashed down towards everyone, causing them to cry out in alarm.

"Crack!"

The table suddenly stopped in mid-air. Long Chen grabbed a table leg with one hand and flicked it, sending the table flying towards the staircase.

A woman had just walked out from that spot, a hint of disdain still on her face. Clearly, she was the one who had thrown the table.

She had intended to throw a table out first, to make Long Chen and the others look utterly pathetic before walking out herself, thus appearing more imposing.

However, she hadn't expected that the table she threw would carry ten times the force, smashing down like a mountain. The table hadn't arrived yet, but the whistling wind made it difficult for her to breathe.

The situation was sudden, and it was too late to dodge. If she were hit by that table, her bones would surely be broken.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, the table exploded into pieces, scattering wood chips. A man with a scar on his face appeared before everyone's eyes. He had stepped in front of the woman.

Upon seeing the scar-faced man, everyone's expression changed. They recognized him as the personal bodyguard of the Great Xia Prince.

The scar-faced man looked at Long Chen with a hint of surprise, his eyes narrowing. "I didn't expect you to improve again in such a short time."

Although the scar-faced man had shattered the table with a single punch, he hadn't completely neutralized the force behind it. A footprint was left on the ground, clearly indicating he had underestimated Long Chen's strength.

"It can't be helped. I'm still young, after all. I need to strive for progress and improve myself a little every day. Unlike you, who are practically buried halfway in the grave, I still have a long way to go," Long Chen said calmly.

The scar-faced man's expression darkened. Just as he was about to speak, a voice suddenly rang out, "Heh heh, it's been a few days, and Brother Long Chen is as magnificent as ever. Truly commendable!"

The Great Xia Prince, Xia Changfeng, slowly walked up, his face still adorned with a smile that easily garnered goodwill.

"It's all a misunderstanding. Let me introduce you. This is my younger sister, Xia Baichi," Xia Changfeng said with a smile.

Long Chen's mouth suddenly fell open. He looked at the woman with sudden realization. So, she was actually a princess.

Master Yun Qi had warned Long Chen to be careful of her, and it turned out he knew her identity when he gave him that advice.

"Hmph, now you know the gap between us, don't you?" Xia Baichi sneered, seeing Long Chen's surprised expression.

Long Chen nodded. "Yes, the gap is too vast. Even if I cultivated for ten thousand years, I couldn't compare to a low-class idiot. Xia Baichi, 'low-class idiot,' hehe, what a fitting name."

"You..." Xia Baichi's face changed drastically, her eyes seeming to spew fire.

Not only Xia Baichi, but even Xia Changfeng's eyes flashed with cold light, though it was fleeting. He smiled, "Alright, it seems we've gotten acquainted through conflict. What topic were you discussing just now that was so lively?"

Fatty Yu and the others felt a bit constrained upon seeing the Great Xia Prince arrive. After all, he was a prince, and the difference in status was too great.

They didn't have a powerful backer like Long Chen and didn't dare to speak so recklessly as before. For a moment, they couldn't utter a single word.

Xia Baichi sneered, "I just heard someone, like a toad wanting to eat swan meat, actually set his sights on the Third Princess. It's laughable that some people don't even know my imperial brother has already sent a betrothal gift to the Empress Dowager, preparing to marry the Third Princess. How dare you covet my imperial brother's fiancée? You're courting death!"

Hearing this news, Long Chen's expression changed. He looked at Xia Changfeng and said coldly, "Is this true?"

"Long Chen, mind your attitude," the scar-faced man said coldly, watching Long Chen.

"It's fine."

Xia Changfeng waved his hand, stopping the scar-faced man, and looked at Long Chen with a smile. "I came to Phoenix Cry this time by order of my father, the Emperor, to propose to the Third Princess. The Empress Dowager has already agreed, and we should soon set an auspicious date. If Brother Long has time in the future, you can visit my Great Xia for a wedding banquet."

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Xia Changfeng looked at Long Chen with an expression that seemed like pity, the pity of a victor towards the vanquished.

Did he find something out? Long Chen's heart stirred. Although he knew Xia Changfeng might be intentionally provoking him, Long Chen couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. If Xia Changfeng's actions were unintentional, so be it. But Long Chen knew this was a scheme, a scheme against Chu Yao. Leaving that foreign true qi within Chu Yao was like planting a seed, and now the fruit was ripe, the planner had finally revealed themselves.

While the planner might not be Xia Changfeng himself, Xia Changfeng was the beneficiary and likely one of the participants. He must know many secrets.

Long Chen thought of his own experiences. He didn't know if his situation was also related to this Xia Changfeng, but the possibility was very high.

Recalling his and Chu Yao's experiences, Long Chen's heart boiled with killing intent. However, it wasn't time to act yet; he needed to become stronger.

Currently, only the tip of the iceberg of the truth had been revealed, and he couldn't control it yet. He needed to endure. Thinking this, the anger on Long Chen's face instantly subsided into calmness.

Seeing Long Chen's previously furious expression suddenly turn peaceful, Xia Changfeng was slightly taken aback and became even more cautious of Long Chen. An enemy who could control their emotions was far more terrifying.

"Brother Xia, I don't think you should propose to the Third Princess," Long Chen said, shaking his head.

"Oh? Why is that?"

"I, Long, have diligently studied physiognomy and calculated for you. Your name, Brother Xia, contains 'wind,' and the Third Princess's name contains 'forest.' Wind over forest destroys; this is not auspicious for the Third Princess," Long Chen said, looking into Xia Changfeng's eyes.

"Haha, Brother Long is joking. How can such things be taken seriously?" Xia Changfeng laughed.

Long Chen's eyes grew even more somber because he had just pushed his divine sense to its limit. While Xia Changfeng's expression remained unchanged as he spoke, his heartbeat had quickened by one beat.

Good, you bastard. You really know quite a lot.

"Otherwise, my physiognomy has always been very accurate. Brother Xia, you are of the fire element, which is why you were given the name Changfeng, right?"

"Fire borrows the momentum of the long wind, scorching the plains for thousands of miles, unstoppable. This is a very good name," Long Chen praised.

Xia Changfeng smiled slightly, saying nothing, but his heart trembled. Could this Long Chen truly be skilled in physiognomy?

His name was given to him by an extraordinary person, and it was exactly as Long Chen said. His destiny was tied to fire, hence the name Changfeng (long wind).

Although his expression remained calm, his heartbeat, blood flow, and breathing changes did not escape Long Chen's perception.

Long Chen couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. He hadn't expected his wild guess to hit the mark. He continued calmly, "And our Third Princess, her given name contains the character 'Yao,' which belongs to water. Her name also contains water. Most importantly, her water has a 'king' within it, not ordinary water, but the king of water.

Wind and forest oppose each other, water and fire clash. Your mortal fire will have no chance against the king's water. Moreover, the imperial capital is surrounded by water, which is extremely inauspicious for Brother Xia.

If you dare to marry the Third Princess, you might not be able to leave Phoenix Cry alive, so I advise you to think thrice.

They say a woman is like clothing. It's hardly worth risking your life in the imperial capital for a piece of clothing."

For a moment, Shi Feng, Fatty Yu, and the others couldn't help but change their expressions. Was this person threatening a prince?

They were half-believing and half-doubting Long Chen's physiognomy skills. However, Long Chen's words were so convincing now that they had no choice but to believe him.

At this moment, Xia Changfeng's face was extremely grim. Long Chen's words made him feel utterly disgusted, yet he couldn't refute them.

"Audacious Long Chen, spewing nonsense to mislead people, using street swindler tricks to deceive a prince! I think you're tired of living!" the Scar-faced Man shouted loudly.

"A disobedient dog. The master hasn't spoken yet, what are you barking about?" Long Chen frowned.

He could always sense the killing intent emanating from the Scar-faced Man, a killing intent that chilled him to the bone.

This indicated that the Scar-faced Man was plotting to kill him, so Long Chen certainly wouldn't give him any pleasantries.

"Audacious!"

The Scar-faced Man roared and threw a punch at Long Chen.

"Stop!"

Xia Changfeng's cold reprimand stopped the Scar-faced Man. He had regained his composure and smiled at Long Chen, "I never knew Brother Long had such a humorous side. I've learned a lot. I have matters to attend to today, let's catch up another time."

With that, Xia Changfeng, along with the Scar-faced Man and Xia Baichi, left. However, as Xia Baichi left, he glared fiercely at Long Chen, his eyes seeming as if they wanted to tear a piece of flesh off him.

After going downstairs, the Scar-faced Man said fiercely, "If the Prince hadn't stopped me, Long Chen would already be dead."

"This Long Chen deserves to die. I almost couldn't hold back just now. This scoundrel is too detestable.

However, Long Chen is useful to us now. If he dies now, it will affect our plans. Let him live a few more days," Xia Changfeng sighed.

Even his composure had almost led him to strangle Long Chen just now; the man had nearly infuriated him to death.

"Master sent a message, telling me to defeat Long Chen in front of that old ghost Yun Qi, and then kill him. It would be best if that old ghost died of anger," Xia Baichi said coldly.

"Hmph, this old fool. Whether I sincerely sought guidance or... that old ghost refused to take me in. Wasting so much time is truly hateful."

Xia Changfeng looked at her and shook his head, sighing, "Back then, Master Wei asked you to... Yun Qi, I felt it was unreliable."

Xia Baichi asked, "Why?"

Xia Changfeng shook his head and said nothing. The Scar-faced Man beside him sighed, "Because Princess, you lack a woman's temperament."

Slap

Xia Baichi slapped the Scar-faced Man across the face. However, the Scar-faced Man merely smiled faintly, clearly accustomed to this action.

After Xia Changfeng and the others left, Long Chen and his companions lost their appetite for drinking. He realized his time was becoming increasingly tight.

The closer he got to the truth, the more dangerous he became. When the truth was revealed, if he didn't have enough strength, he would surely die.

But he didn't have enough time now. He needed to seize the opportunity to cultivate. Every bit of strength gained meant a greater chance of survival.

However, Chu Yao's matter was also urgent. He had to race against time to resolve it as soon as possible.

"Excuse me, are you Young Master Long Chen?"

Suddenly, a middle-aged man with a lean and refined face walked into the restaurant and bowed to Long Chen.