Conflict

Xiao Bai did not know what Ling Ying was thinking. If he had, he would definitely have told him not to worry—there was someone later on he was sure to like.

He kept telling the story until Shi Hao was struck by the Immortal Severing Curse and several girls accompanied him to the lower realm, then Xiao Bai did not continue.

He felt a little hungry. Calculating the time, he had almost gone a full day and night without eating.

"Xun Er, come with me to get something to eat. The last time I ate was yesterday. I'll keep telling you the story when we come back. How about it?"

"What? Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Xiao Xun Er had originally been wondering why Xiao Bai had stopped telling the story. At his words, she immediately stood up, feeling a little guilty, and took his hand, pulling him outside.

Xiao Bai had originally meant to go to the Xiao Clan dining hall, but Xiao Xun Er refused and directly dragged him to Wutan City's number one restaurant—the Welcoming Guest Restaurant.

She ordered a whole table full of dishes in one go, then even asked if it was enough, and said they could order more if it was not.

Xiao Bai did not know whether to laugh or cry. This girl—did she think he was a pig? How could this still not be enough?

Looking at the dozen-plus dishes on the table, none of them ordinary fare, Xiao Bai somewhat painfully touched his own wallet. He had no idea how many of the Gold Coins he had saved up over these ten years would be left after this meal.

He picked up his chopsticks and started eating at once. Xiao Xun Er did not move. She simply propped her chin in both hands on the table and watched the ravenous Xiao Bai with a smiling gaze.

She felt that today's Xiao Bai was a little different compared to before.

There was a faint sense of majesty between his brows, and the two ribbons hanging down behind him from the forehead band on his head added a trace of free-spirited ease and unruliness.

Although she did not know what had caused it, she liked it very much.

Xiao Xun Er did not know that this was because of the Yi Wood Positive Thunder inside Xiao Bai's body.

The Yi Wood Positive Thunder was the thunder of vitality, the thunder of the awakening of insects, and also the thunder of revival. It was grand and upright. After Xiao Bai incorporated it into his body, he unconsciously carried a hint of majestic bearing.

When a person possessed some kind of special aura, even if their features were a little ordinary, it would make them full of charm, let alone when Xiao Bai's face was not ordinary to begin with. Of course, that aura had to be a positive one.

After eating and drinking his fill, Xiao Bai found an excuse and said he was going out for a bit.

Xiao Xun Er obediently agreed. Watching his departing back, a hint of amusement flashed through her eyes.

Not long after, Xiao Bai returned and handed Xiao Xun Er a purple-gold card. This girl had given the card to the waiter when she ordered earlier. He lightly patted her little head.

"You little girl, you've turned naughty!"

"Wang Offering, this way, please. This restaurant's new roasted Azure Wood Sheep is quite good. You must try it properly today!"

"After you, Young Master Nuo. Since that's the case, then I won't stand on ceremony today."

Just as Xiao Bai and Xun Er walked out of the restaurant doors, they saw two people coming in from outside: a richly dressed young man in his twenties, and a short, plump, middle-aged man with a beaming smile on his face.

The young man and the short, plump man walked toward the restaurant while talking.

As they spoke, he raised his head casually and saw Xiao Bai and Xiao Xun Er coming out of the hotel entrance.

An inexplicable smile appeared on his face.

"Yo? Isn't this the Xiao Clan's 'genius,' Xiao Bai? Five years have passed and you still haven't broken through. What, can't bear to part with the realm of 9 Star Dou Zhi Qi?"

"I suppose that makes sense. Reaching 9 Star Dou Zhi Qi at ten years old, of course you'd want to linger in that realm for a few more years and reminisce about your old glory!"

Especially when he said the word "genius," his tone grew heavier, full of sarcasm.

"Ga Lie Nuo, what do you think you are? Have you forgotten how you were beaten until you were looking for your teeth on the ground? A twenty-year-old man beaten by eleven-year-old Xiao Bai Gege until he begged for mercy, and you think you're worthy of mocking him?"

Before Xiao Bai had time to speak, Xiao Xun Er stepped forward protectively.

When Ga Lie Nuo saw Xiao Xun Er, his eyes lit up.

"Isn't this the Xiao Clan's pearl, Miss Xun Er? That's right, he used to be impressive. Unfortunately, now he's nothing but a piece of trash who can't break through. Who in all of Wutan City doesn't know that the Xiao Clan produced a trash genius? Do I even need to say it?"

"Also, Miss Xun Er, my younger brother hasn't been able to stop thinking about you ever since he saw you not long ago. My brother's talent is pretty good, you know! At least he can break through to Dou Zhe, stronger than this trash. How about you consider him?"

"Not at all. I think your skin is itching again. Looks like I went too easy on you last time!"

Xiao Bai pulled Xun Er back and looked at Ga Lie Nuo expressionlessly.

Five years ago, this fellow had been at the ninth stage of Dou Qi. On the streets of Wutan City, he had been harassing a female clanswoman of the Xiao Clan. Xiao Bai and Xun Er had happened to pass by, and both sides saw them, making it impossible to ignore. After that, Xiao Bai gave him a beating. Once this guy was beaten, he repeatedly begged for mercy, and only then was he let off.

He had not expected that after running into him again today, the man would start acting arrogant once more. Xiao Bai was not surprised that Ga Lie Nuo could not see his realm. After all, who had he used his divine soul to conceal himself from? Yao Lao and Ling Ying.

Trash like this might not even know what Soul Strength was, so how could he possibly see Xiao Bai's realm?

Even realms at the Dou Qi stage could only be seen by those with powerful Soul Perception. Otherwise, one could only rely on the Dou Qi Test Stone Tablet. When Ga Lie Nuo said he was at 9 Star Dou Zhi Qi, it was merely a continuation of what he had known before.

"Haha. Beat me? You think I'm still at the ninth stage of Dou Qi? Open your eyes. I'm a Six Star Dou Zhe now. Do you know what a Six Star Dou Zhe is? Aiyo, I almost forgot. You're still at Nine Stage Dou Zhi Qi! How could you possibly know?"

After saying that, he turned to look at the short, plump man beside him.

"Wang Offering, you're experienced and knowledgeable. Have you ever heard of anyone at Nine Stage Dou Zhi Qi being able to fight a Six Star Dou Zhe?"

Wang Offering was an offering of the Jia Lie Family, a Three Star Dou Shi. He had heard of Xiao Bai's great name, and was also happy to give this young master of the Jia Lie Family some face, so he said with a smile:

"Not at all, not at all. Young Master Nuo overpraises me. This Wang is shallow in knowledge. Though I have lived in vain for forty-two years, I have never heard of anyone at Nine Stage Dou Zhi Qi being able to contend with a Six Star Dou Zhe, much less defeat one!"

"Haha. Heard that, Xiao 'genius'?" Ga Lie Nuo laughed loudly.

Xiao Bai watched the two of them play off each other with cold eyes. Xun Er looked at him with some worry, wondering whether she should call Ling Ying over to beat these two things to death.

"You really have lived in vain. Forty-two years old and only a Three Star Dou Shi. At the same age, you wouldn't even be qualified to look up to me!"

Xiao Bai looked at the two of them, his hands clasped behind his back, and spoke in a leisurely tone.

Not far away, Ling Ying instantly perked up. Here it came, here it came—the king of posturing's quotes. He immediately took paper and brush from his Storage Ring and swiftly wrote them down.

"You arrogant brat! How dare you insult me like this!"

Wang Offering's ever-smiling expression vanished. Earth Yellow Dou Qi Gauze Clothing appeared around him as he walked toward Xiao Bai. He did not use any Dou Techniques; he did not dare kill Xiao Bai, since the boy was a member of the Xiao Clan, but he had to teach him a lesson.

He had to make him understand that on the Dou Qi Continent, the strong had to be respected. How did a mere 9 Star Dou Zhi Qi dare mock him, a Three Star Dou Shi? Even if the Xiao Clan was backing him, so what? Behind him stood the Jia Lie Family.

As long as he did not kill him, just broke his arms and legs, he imagined the Xiao Clan would not go too far in making trouble for him.

"You dare!" Xun Er shouted furiously from the side, stepping in front of Xiao Bai in one move.

Seeing the girl before him shield him without even thinking, Xiao Bai felt a little moved, though he knew the man opposite them was nothing to Xun Er.

But as he looked at Wang Offering walking over step by step, a flicker of excitement flashed through his eyes. He pulled Xun Er behind him—he could not let her ruin his good thing.

He had no interest in trash like Ga Lie Nuo, but this Three Star Dou Shi was different. He was somewhat useful to him.

He did not plan to use his Dou Qi cultivation or his soul power. If he used those two, would he not have hidden them for nothing?

Ever since his Physical Body had been tempered by the Yi Wood Positive Thunder, he still did not know what level it had reached. A Three Star Dou Shi, and one with the Earth Attribute at that, was just right for testing his current physique.

As for the trouble afterward, Xiao Bai had already weighed it. The Jia Lie Family and the Xiao Clan were roughly equal in strength; to the current him, they posed no threat at all.

Although his cultivation was only at Eight Star Dou Zhe, his soul had reached Mortal Realm Late Stage.