The Clown Was Me All Along

If it had only been about repaying a favor, Mu Xi would never have impatiently urged Mu Chen to find Su Mo's whereabouts just now.

Not to mention that after seeing Mu Xi, Yuan Baoer had not detected even the slightest trace of panic on her face.

No one knew her daughter's temperament better than Yuan Baoer.

Having been well protected by Yuan Baoer and Mu Chen since childhood, coupled with the indulgence of her senior uncle Zhen Hua, a Divine Craftsman, Mu Xi had practically never experienced any setbacks growing up.

Precisely because she had never faced any setbacks, Mu Xi's mental fortitude was rather average, far inferior to that of her junior Tang Wulin.

Yet after experiencing a life-and-death crisis, Mu Xi had not burst into frightened tears upon seeing her. Instead, she had coquettishly begged Mu Chen to help find the person who had saved her life.

Something was obviously off.

Not to mention the way Mu Xi's eyes had lit up when she saw Su Mo just now. If Yuan Baoer had not stopped her in time, Mu Xi would probably have already run up to him without caring about propriety.

Still, that kid named Su Mo really was quite handsome.

As expected of Yuan Baoer's daughter!

As for what might happen between Mu Xi and Su Mo, Yuan Baoer was happy to see it, so long as there was nothing wrong with Su Mo.

"Su Mo!"

Looking at the shy golden-haired beauty before him, clearly experiencing the first stirrings of love, Su Mo gave his name without the slightest hesitation.

"Su Mo, Su Mo..."

After repeating Su Mo's name several times under her breath, Mu Xi suddenly slapped her forehead, her expression turning to realization. She clasped her hands together and said excitedly, "Junior, I've heard your name before!"

Mu Xi had actually heard of Su Mo long ago.

As the student with the highest cultivation talent in Eastsea Academy's history, Su Mo's name had spread throughout the entire academy the moment he enrolled. It would have been difficult for Mu Xi not to know of him.

Mu Xi simply had not expected that the person who saved her from the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear would be Su Mo.

"Um..."

Just as Mu Xi was about to invite Su Mo to visit her home and repay him for saving her life, a broad figure stepped in front of her.

Looking at Mu Chen blocking her way, Mu Xi said irritably, "Dad, what are you doing? Can't you see I'm talking to my junior?"

"Move aside already!"

Ignoring Mu Xi's orders, Mu Chen stared at Su Mo and said with a genial smile, "You're the one who killed the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear and saved Xiao Xi, right? Truly, heroes emerge in their youth."

"I'm Mu Chen, president of the Donghai City Blacksmith Association. This is my business card. If you ever need my help in the future, feel free to contact me."

With that, Mu Chen handed Su Mo a business card forged from some unknown silvery-white metal.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

Seeing her father impatiently trying to draw a line between her and Su Mo, Mu Xi immediately grew anxious and was about to push Mu Chen aside.

Before Mu Xi could do anything, Yuan Baoer, who had been watching the show, walked over with graceful steps and whispered a few words into Mu Xi's ear.

After hearing her mother's words, Mu Xi's fair little face instantly flushed crimson. She hurriedly waved her hands and denied it, "N-No... it's not like that!"

Seeing her daughter become so embarrassed that she could barely speak after her little thoughts had been exposed, Yuan Baoer smiled knowingly.

As she had said, she did not object to Mu Xi being with Su Mo, but only if there was nothing problematic about him.

Yuan Baoer and Mu Chen had encountered people who approached them using great favors like Su Mo's before.

As the renowned Iron Triangle of the forging world, Yuan Baoer and Mu Chen had encountered people who tried every possible method to get close to them back when they worked at the Mingdu Blacksmith Association.

Most of those who sought to get close to them and build connections with them came from powerful, well-known factions across Douluo Continent. Their purpose in approaching Yuan Baoer and Mu Chen was simple: they hoped to use the couple to establish ties with Zhen Hua, the Divine Craftsman of the age.

As the only person in the world capable of crafting Four-Word Battle Armor, Zhen Hua was an irresistible prize in the eyes of every major faction.

However, with the Federation and the Blacksmith Association standing behind him, no one dared make a move against Zhen Hua openly. Still, there were always those unwilling to give up, trying to use the couple to establish a connection with him.

Wasn't that why they had brought the young Mu Xi to Eastsea City, this remote place far from the center of the continent? They wanted to tell those people that they did not wish to involve themselves in the continent's affairs.

Looking at the business card Mu Chen offered him, Su Mo accepted it without any pretense.

Seeing Su Mo accept his business card so readily, Mu Chen nodded in satisfaction.

If Su Mo had refused his business card just now, that would have been troublesome.

With his precious daughter clearly interested in him, if Su Mo had been determined to publicly latch onto him and establish ties, Mu Chen truly would have had no way to refuse.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Su Mo, Mu Chen left the Spirit Pagoda with Mu Xi and Yuan Baoer.

"Did you really save Mu Xi from the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear?"

As soon as Mu Chen's group left, Gu Yue, who had been silent for a long time, could not help asking.

Though Mu Chen's attitude suggested it was probably true, Gu Yue still found it difficult to believe.

As Leng Yaozhu's disciple, Gu Yue knew far more about the Spirit Ascension Platform than Tang Wulin and the others.

Once an overlord-class Soul Beast such as the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear appeared in a Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, it was essentially the guardian of that platform.

Moreover, as the Master of Soul Beasts, Gu Yue knew better than anyone present just how powerful a hundred-year Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear was.

Against a Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear, even if all five of them joined forces, they would have had no chance of escaping.

Yet Su Mo had actually escaped the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear's hunt while bringing along the badly injured Mu Xi. It was simply unimaginable.

Before Su Mo could respond, Wang Ling, who had been watching the spectacle, interjected, "Little girl, it seems you've underestimated your classmate's strength a bit too much."

"Your classmate did not merely save Miss Mu Xi. He also casually killed that hundred-year Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear before leaving the Spirit Ascension Platform."

Hearing Wang Ling speak up for him, Su Mo gave him a surprised glance.

Wang Ling merely smiled in response.

Leaving a good impression on a genius like Su Mo only took a few words. Anyone would know what to do.

"!!!"

A Soul Grandmaster killed a hundred-year Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear? Was that even human?

Not only Gu Yue, but even Tang Wulin and the others were stunned. Though Tang Wulin had never seen an overlord-class Soul Beast like the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear, that did not mean he did not know how terrifying it was.

Looking at Tang Wulin and the others standing there in a daze, Wu Zhangkong nodded helplessly. "He's right. Su Mo not only saved Mu Xi, but also killed that Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear."

With Wu Zhangkong's confirmation, Tang Wulin and the others had no choice but to accept the truth, no matter how unbelievable it seemed.

Xie Xie in particular felt his face burning. He had just looked down on Su Mo for surviving in the Spirit Ascension Platform for less time than he had, but in the end, he was the ridiculous clown.

Fortunately, Su Mo had not held it against him. Otherwise, Xie Xie would never have had the face to appear before Su Mo again.

"Is there anything else? If not, I'm heading back first."

Su Mo looked around at the group standing there dumbstruck, yawned, and said weakly.

Su Mo was quite satisfied with what he had gained today.

Not only had he gotten a top-tier External Soul Bone for free, but he had also established a connection with Mu Chen, a Saint Craftsman.