Chance Encounter

"Your Excellency, Sword Douluo, Miss Ning, I'm sorry, but His Highness the Crown Prince still hasn't returned. Perhaps I should send someone to Moonlight Pavilion to notify him?"

At the entrance to the Crown Prince's Mansion, the steward wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked apologetically at Ning Rongrong and Sword Douluo Chen Xin. He couldn't help it—the pressure was immense.

Ning Rongrong let out a disappointed "Ah" and muttered, "Is Moonlight Pavilion really that fun? His Highness has been gone all afternoon."

They had already come by once. When they learned that Crown Prince Xue Qinghe wasn't at the residence, they had politely declined the steward's offer of hospitality and planned to return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's residence in Heaven Dou City. They hadn't expected that, after taking care of some business and coming back, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe still wouldn't be there.

Moonlight Pavilion was quite famous among Heaven Dou City's upper circles. Thinking that she herself had never been there, Ning Rongrong suddenly grew interested.

She turned to Chen Xin. "Grandpa Sword, why don't we go to Moonlight Pavilion and find His Highness?"

Chen Xin hesitated at her suggestion. The identity of Moonlight Pavilion's master, Tang Yuehua, was no ordinary matter, and very few people knew the truth.

It was only after Ning Fengzhi mentioned Moonlight Pavilion that he learned Tang Yuehua was the younger sister of Tang Xiao, the Clear Sky Sect's reclusive sect master.

"Grandpa Sword?" Seeing Chen Xin hesitate, Ning Rongrong blinked her big eyes and stared at him expectantly.

"All right, all right. We'll go wherever you want, Rongrong." Faced with Ning Rongrong making that expression, Chen Xin's mouth twitched, but he eventually agreed.

As the mighty Sword Douluo, he was confident that he could keep Rongrong safe anywhere on the continent, save for a few exceptional places.

About half an hour later, Sword Douluo arrived at Moonlight Pavilion with Ning Rongrong. As luck would have it, they ran right into Crown Prince Xue Qinghe as he walked out.

"Qinghe greets Your Excellency, Sword Douluo." Xue Qinghe first bowed respectfully to Chen Xin, then turned to Ning Rongrong, his smile growing more genuine. "What brings you to Heaven Dou City, Rongrong? Did Sect Master Ning have something for you to do?"

"Father asked me to bring you a letter, Your Highness!" Ning Rongrong took out the letter and handed it to him. Then she keenly caught sight of the odd look between Xue Qinghe's brows and asked curiously, "Your Highness, you seem troubled. Did something happen?"

Xue Qinghe accepted the letter and paused at her question, inwardly chiding himself for being insufficiently composed.

He had originally planned to send Xue Beng away in a few years. But after what had just happened at Moonlight Pavilion, he was having second thoughts.

If Xue Beng had been as outstanding as his deceased brothers, then taking a risk and killing him would have been worth it.

But his observations over the past few years, along with what had just happened, had convinced him that Xue Beng was nothing but a good-for-nothing. He had spent the entire time since leaving Moonlight Pavilion weighing his options, only for this little girl, Ning Rongrong, to notice something was off.

That wouldn't do!

Putting his thoughts aside, Xue Qinghe resumed his usual gentle, refined demeanor and warm smile.

"It's nothing, just a few trivial matters. I'm sorry you had to see that, Rongrong."

The more he said that, the more curious Ning Rongrong became. "Just tell me, Your Highness! Did someone make you angry? Tell me, and I'll go teach them a lesson!"

She waved her little fist, looking every bit the valiant champion.

Xue Qinghe chuckled at her antics, and the worry in his eyes seemed to fade. After a moment's thought, he sighed. "It's nothing serious. I was just thinking about my good-for-nothing fourth brother after coming back from Moonlight Pavilion. It made me a little... reflective."

Ning Rongrong was all but certain to become the next sect master, so Xue Qinghe decided to plant a seed of resentment in her and make her utterly despise Xue Beng.

"Xue Beng?" Ning Rongrong immediately scrunched up her little nose. "What did that nasty guy do this time? Did he cause trouble at Moonlight Pavilion?"

"Exactly." Xue Qinghe nodded, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness and disappointment.

"I went to Moonlight Pavilion today to discuss music with Sect Master Tang. My fourth brother... I don't know why, but he was there too. Perhaps he wanted to put on airs and pretend to appreciate the finer things. As a result, he got into a conflict with a young man visiting Moonlight Pavilion. He spoke rudely and behaved disgracefully, bringing shame on me, Father, and the entire imperial family."

"Huh? He started a fight at Moonlight Pavilion? Xue Beng is completely out of line!"

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened. Though she complained, her face was alight with curiosity. "What happened after that? Did Xue Beng get beaten up, or did he beat someone else?"

"I almost wish he'd won. At least then he wouldn't have been quite so humiliating." Xue Qinghe's expression turned complicated. "The young man visiting, on the other hand, left a deep impression on me. Even with my fourth brother bearing down on him, he remained composed and respectful, and handled himself well. In the end... he was the one who left my fourth brother with no way to save face. My fourth brother stormed off, and I had no choice but to apologize to Sect Master Tang on his behalf."

"Someone actually made Xue Beng eat dirt?" Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, and she pressed him for details. "Your Highness, who was that young man? He's so bold, daring to beat up a prince!"

"Your Highness is a prince too. Is it really appropriate to put it that way? You make it sound like beating up a prince is something to be proud of."

Xue Qinghe glanced at Ning Rongrong, at a loss for words, but still answered gently, "The young man called himself Lan Yin. He was composed and had a clear, honest gaze—not like an ordinary person. As for his age... he's probably about your age."

"Lan Yin?" Ning Rongrong froze and repeated the name without thinking. Then she seized Chen Xin's sleeve. "Grandpa Sword! It's Brother Lan Yin! How did he end up at Moonlight Pavilion too?"

Chen Xin had opened his eyes as soon as Xue Qinghe mentioned the name "Lan Yin."

At Ning Rongrong's exclamation, a trace of helplessness crossed his eyes, though it was overshadowed by deeper contemplation.

Moonlight Pavilion wasn't a place just anyone could enter. It seemed that boy Lan Yin wasn't so simple either. He was hiding plenty.

Xue Qinghe noted their reactions, especially Ning Rongrong's undisguised delight and familiarity. A trace of interest stirred in his heart, but he put on just the right look of surprise. "You know this young man Lan Yin, Rongrong?"

He could tell that Ning Rongrong was on good terms with the boy called Lan Yin, so he naturally changed "young man" to "young Brother Lan Yin," making his words sound much friendlier.

"We know each other, we know each other!" Ning Rongrong nodded like a pecking chick, her face full of excitement. "Your Highness, Lan Yin is amazing! He has a really good eye and knows so much. Most importantly, he's handsome too."

Ning Rongrong paused slightly on the word "handsome," but quickly shifted to a smug expression. "He only came to Heaven Dou City because he accepted my invitation and came in with me!"

She chattered on about how Lan Yin had helped her hunt for a Soul Ring and about some of the things that had happened recently. At the end, she added, "Grandpa Sword says he's great too!"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin, standing nearby, rolled his eyes inwardly as his precious Rongrong went on and on about Lan Yin, but he didn't contradict her.

Xue Qinghe listened, his gentle smile unchanged, though a profound glimmer passed through his eyes.

He knew his teacher's beloved daughter Ning Rongrong very well. Ordinary people couldn't catch her eye, and Sword Douluo hadn't contradicted anything she said. Even if Rongrong had exaggerated a little, the truth was probably not far off.

His thoughts raced, but he betrayed nothing. Instead, he followed Ning Rongrong's lead and praised the boy. "So Brother Lan is the one who helped you, Rongrong. A hero from a young age, indeed. To face my fourth brother at Moonlight Pavilion without being cowed, he must have courage and bearing beyond the ordinary. However..."

Xue Qinghe shifted the conversation, showing just the right touch of concern. "My fourth brother lost face to Brother Lan today. Given his personality, I'm afraid he won't let it go."

At that, Ning Rongrong's little face immediately fell, and she looked worried. "That's right! That nasty Xue Beng will definitely find a way to get revenge! Your Highness, could you help Brother Lan Yin? Make sure Xue Beng doesn't bully him!"

Xue Qinghe smiled warmly. "Don't worry, Rongrong. Since Brother Lan is your friend, I certainly won't stand by and do nothing. I'll have a word with my fourth brother and make him behave."

"Then thank you, Your Highness!" Ning Rongrong grinned. Then, as if remembering something, she asked, "By the way, Your Highness, is Lan Yin still at Moonlight Pavilion?"

"He's still there, of course. However..." Xue Qinghe paused, his words carrying a hint of probing. "Brother Tang seems to know Sect Master Tang quite well. He's still at Moonlight Pavilion, talking with Sect Master Tang."