Beauty Is Tempting

Long Hengxu had adopted a very humble attitude.

He knew full well the weight carried by the young man before him.

Behind Wang Chuan stood Leng Yaozhu, the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo and vice master of the Spirit Pagoda, as well as Zhen Hua, the president of the Blacksmith Association and a Divine Craftsman.

Those two were major figures who could make the Federation tremble with a mere stomp of their feet. How could little Eastsea City possibly afford to offend them?!

All he could do was negotiate politely and promise substantial benefits.

After giving it some thought, Wang Chuan did not particularly mind.

Participating in one more competition would not be troublesome for him. On the contrary, it would let him stretch his muscles and test the results of his recent cultivation.

As for resource compensation...

Who would turn down free benefits? Only a fool.

The more exposed he was to the public eye, the more potential trouble he might face in the future. These compensations could also be considered a form of "risk hedging."

Eastsea City wanted to rely on him to win the championship, raise its prestige, and gain tangible benefits. Naturally, they could not expect him to work for free.

With that in mind, Wang Chuan gave a slight nod, his tone calm.

"Since things have come to this, I'll participate."

He said nothing more and closed his eyes to rest.

There was no point in saying too much. It would only make him seem easy to manipulate, leaving him less room to bargain later.

Since Eastsea City wanted to borrow his influence, they had to show sufficient sincerity.

Seeing Wang Chuan agree, Long Hengxu finally let out a sigh of relief and repeatedly thanked him. The atmosphere in the vehicle soon livened up again.

The convoy set off, heading steadily toward Skysea City.

The journey was long, and it did not take long for a "friendly competition" over ownership of the seat beside Wang Chuan to unfold inside the vehicle.

In the end, Gu Yue won by using a subtle, seemingly accidental interference with the elements and accurately predicting Tang Wulin's route. She successfully claimed the window seat beside Wang Chuan.

Tang Wulin could only sit pitifully in the front row, occasionally turning back to look longingly at Wang Chuan and Gu Yue.

He wanted to sit with Brother Xiaochuan too!

Watching this scene, Xie Xie felt goosebumps rise all over his body.

How had Gu Yue, who was normally cold and expressionless, who could barely be bothered to acknowledge anyone, instantly turned into a blazing enthusiast whenever Wang Chuan was involved?

And Wulin—usually so imposing during training, so tenacious and unyielding—immediately turned into an obedient, adorable little puppy with moist eyes in front of Wang Chuan...

The contrast was just too extreme, wasn't it?!

"I absolutely refuse to become like that..."

Xie Xie silently swore to himself, shuddering at the same time.

Xu Xiaoyan, seated a little farther away, blinked her lively eyes as she curiously studied Wang Chuan.

She was very curious about what kind of magic this handsome and gentle-looking classmate possessed to cause such enormous changes in both Sister Gu Yue and Captain Tang Wulin.

However, as she looked at Wang Chuan's quiet profile while he read by the window, his elegant features outlined by the soft halo of sunlight, Xu Xiaoyan's heart began to race and her cheeks reddened without her noticing.

She quickly shook her head and silently scolded herself.

Xu Xiaoyan, oh, Xu Xiaoyan.

How could you be so easily bewitched by a handsome face?!

Have some restraint!

The rest of the journey passed without incident, and the convoy arrived safely in the bustling Skysea City.

Everyone checked into a luxurious hotel officially designated by the Skysea Alliance. Its surroundings were elegant, and its facilities were complete.

When rooms were assigned, Tang Wulin relied on his shameless spirit of "deep brotherhood" and "first come, first served" to successfully seize the chance to share a double room with Wang Chuan...

Leaving Xie Xie to move into another room with Teacher Wu, Wu Zhangkong, whose aura was icy cold, wearing an expression of grief and indignation.

"Traitor!"

"Tang Wulin, you traitor who values beauty over friendship!"

Watching Tang Wulin happily drag his luggage into Wang Chuan's room, Xie Xie wailed inwardly. Then he turned to look at Wu Zhangkong beside him, who had already entered "iceberg" mode, and instantly felt that his future was bleak.

Not long after Wang Chuan and Tang Wulin settled into their room, before they even had time to catch their breath—

"Ding-dong—"

A clear doorbell rang.

"Coming!"

Thinking it was one of the other Zero Class students, Tang Wulin eagerly ran over and opened the door.

Outside stood a lovely figure dressed in fiery red. It was Mu Xi.

She seemed to have dressed up especially today. Her fiery red gown made her skin look like snow, and a rare gentle smile rested on her beautiful face. She looked completely unlike the proud and flamboyant "little witch" she usually was.

Tang Wulin instinctively shrank back a little. The fearsome reputation of this senior sister was still fresh in his mind.

Yet what confused him was that Mu Xi's gaze was wandering, her cheeks were faintly red, and her entire body seemed to radiate a...

Shy, lovestruck maiden's aura?

It gave him goosebumps.

"S-Senior Sister?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Are you all right?!"

Tang Wulin asked cautiously, even suspecting that Mu Xi had taken the wrong medicine.

Mu Xi shot him an annoyed glare. Her eyes instantly regained some of their usual sharpness, making Tang Wulin's neck go cold.

But the next moment, when her gaze passed over Tang Wulin and landed on Wang Chuan, who was sitting on the sofa flipping through the competition handbook, her eyes immediately turned soft and shimmering. Her voice became so gentle it seemed ready to drip with water.

"Senior Brother Wang Chuan, Grandmaster Cen Yue asked me to inform the two of you that the Blacksmith Association is holding a pre-competition preparation meeting. Please come over now."

"All right. Sorry to trouble you, Junior Sister."

Wang Chuan closed the handbook and rose to respond.

His voice was clear and gentle, yet to Mu Xi's ears, it seemed to carry an electric current that left half her body numb. Her cheeks grew even redder.

"N-No trouble at all!"

Mu Xi hurriedly waved her hands and lowered her head, not daring to look at Wang Chuan again.

Tang Wulin watched from the side with his eyes wide in astonishment.

Was this really the fierce senior sister who would tug his ears and call him stupid at the slightest provocation?

The change was far too great!

Sure enough, Brother Xiaochuan's charm was unstoppable!

Wang Chuan, however, remained as composed as ever. Walking to the door, he spoke to Tang Wulin, who was still somewhat dazed.

"Wulin, let's go."

"Don't keep Grandmaster Cen Yue waiting too long."

"Oh, okay!"

Tang Wulin snapped back to his senses and hurriedly followed.

Thus, Mu Xi with her shy expression, Wang Chuan calm and composed, and Tang Wulin internally grumbling nonstop...

The three, each wearing a different expression, left the room together and headed toward the Blacksmith Association's temporary meeting venue.

More than a dozen young blacksmiths had already gathered in the room. They sat or stood in clearly separated groups, and even the oldest among them was only a little over twenty.

Each wore a badge on their chest representing their blacksmith rank, ranging from Level 2 to Level 4, showing that they were all rising talents selected from various places.

The leader for the blacksmithing event of this Sky Sea Alliance Grand Competition was the highly respected Grandmaster Cen Yue.

When Cen Yue saw Wang Chuan, Tang Wulin, and Mu Xi enter, his gaze immediately locked onto Wang Chuan.

He had never met Wang Chuan in person.

However, rumors of this Divine Craftsman's last disciple had long spread throughout the association's upper ranks. His almost monstrous record and Grandmaster Zhen Hua's undisguised praise were enough to make any senior in the blacksmithing world curious and expectant.