The Twenty-One-Year-Old Kidney-Deficient Fighter

After the three of them converged, they set off for the market.

The market was not like a typical bazaar.

If a bazaar was the territory of common merchants, then the market was a paradise for mercenaries.

Magic cores obtained from hunting magical beasts, medicinal pills refined for healing, and even bizarre, curious items found by chance were all traded here.

The mid-sized market they arrived at was one managed by the Xiao Clan.

Order was maintained by Xiao Clan guards.

However, upon arriving here, Xun'er's mood was not as high as before; she simply followed quietly by Xiao Yuan's side.

This was only natural.

Even in the Dou Qi Continent, where deception was rampant and the strong were revered, a girl was still a girl—how could she possibly enjoy the sight of blades, spears, swords, and halberds?

Naturally, silks, satins, rouge, and powder were far more suited to Xun'er.

As for Xiao Yan, ever since entering the market, the guy had been like a husky off its leash.

He looked at the stall on the left, then peeked at the stall on the right, and in just a few moments, he had vanished into the vast sea of people.

Little did he know, after Xiao Yan left, the corners of Xun'er's mouth never stopped curling upward.

As long as she could stay with Xiao Yuan, Xun'er would gladly endure even a dragon's pool or a tiger's den.

But soon, their world for two was interrupted by an eyesore.

"Oh? Isn't this Miss Xun'er? Heh, I never expected to run into you here. What a coincidence."

The moment this hearty laugh rang out, Xiao Yuan and Xun'er simultaneously frowned and looked ahead.

They saw a group of people surging toward them along the wide thoroughfare.

In the center of the crowd, surrounded like stars around the moon, was a youth dressed in luxurious attire.

The youth was around twenty years old and quite handsome, though his complexion was somewhat pale. His eyes were currently fixed firmly on the graceful young girl not far away, burning with intensity.

His gaze was filled with undisguised, greedy desire.

"Miss Xun'er!"

The youth walked straight toward Xun'er, striking a pose he believed to be that of a dashing gentleman.

Just as he attempted to brush past Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yuan expressionlessly reached out, grabbed the youth by the back of his collar, yanked him to a halt, and tossed him back.

"Young Master!"

Seeing their young master thrown back, the group of followers scrambled to catch him in a panic.

With the help of his servants, the youth finally managed to steady himself, then glared furiously:

"Xiao Yuan, it's you again, you little bastard!"

Hearing this, Xiao Yuan looked at the youth as if only just noticing him, a look of sudden realization dawning on his face.

"Yo, I thought some stray cat or dog was trying to hit on my Xun'er, but it turns out to be the eldest young master of the Jialie Clan, who only managed to break through to a one-star Dou Zhe at twenty-one. Shouldn't you be at home playing with women? Why run to the Xiao Clan market to drop your pants and make a fool of yourself? Then again, playing with women all day has left your kidneys weak. Look at that complexion of yours... tsk tsk tsk... eat something nutritious to make up for it; your days are numbered~"

Hearing these words, Xun'er couldn't help it and covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.

His tongue was still as venomous as ever, always poking exactly where it hurt.

Especially toward Jialie Ao, the eldest young master of the Jialie Clan, one of the three great clans of Wutan City alongside the Xiao Clan.

Every time they met, this guy would give Xun'er a lecherous look.

The result was always being mocked by Xiao Yuan, calling him a cultivation failure and a weak-kidneyed wretch.

And every time, Jialie Ao would mindlessly lose his temper and get beaten up by Xiao Yuan.

At some point, this guy had become a rare source of entertainment in his life—the kind you could just beat up when bored.

"You little bastard, say that again if you dare!"

"Heh, so your kidneys are weak, and now your ears aren't working either? I'll say it again: you're a piece of trash who only reached one-star Dou Zhe at twenty-one, and you dare to hit on my Xun'er? Trying to rob the cradle, are you?"

"None of your damn business, you asshole! I want to get close to Miss Xun'er, what does that have to do with you?! I like Miss Xun'er, is that not allowed?!"

Jialie Ao gritted his teeth and retorted.

He failed to notice that when he said this, Xun'er's delicate brows furrowed once more.

The level of disgust she felt toward Jialie Ao had risen another notch.

"Heh, what right does a twenty-one-year-old weak-kidneyed Dou Zhe have to like her? Can't you see the relationship between me and Xun'er?"

As he spoke, Xiao Yuan pulled Xun'er into his arm, acting very intimate. The fact that Xun'er's cheeks flushed slightly, looking shy and receptive, caused the onlookers' jaws to drop.

Seeing this, Jialie Ao became even more enraged.

Can you stop bringing up the twenty-one-year-old Dou Zhe thing?! And I am not weak-kidneyed!!

He was on the verge of being driven mad by Xiao Yuan.

Just as he was about to let out a string of curses, a thought struck him, and he offered a mocking smile.

"Heh, are you trying to say that you and Miss Xun'er are a couple, Brother Xiao Yuan? But how is it that I heard you set a marriage contract with Nalan Yanran of the Nalan Family in Jia Ma Holy City just yesterday? Could it be that you're trying to keep a foot in both camps? Aren't you afraid the Nalan Family will rain their fury down upon the Xiao Clan?!"

"So what? I call this enjoying the blessings of both worlds. As for Nalan Yanran, why don't you ask her if she dares to be angry?"

If anyone else had been asked such a question, they surely would have hesitated.

But for him, Xiao Yuan.

Sorry, but with a naturally thick skin, he could say such shameless things without a hint of embarrassment.

However...

Will this girl Xun'er get jealous? She probably will, right? After all, this little girl is basically a walking jar of vinegar...

The very next second.

The soft flesh at Xiao Yuan's waist was pinched, just as expected.

The pressure was neither light nor heavy, the kind that was startling but harmless.

Without needing to think, he knew it was that girl Xun'er getting angry.

As for Jialie Ao, his expression was now incredibly ugly, and he had been rendered speechless by Xiao Yuan's retort.

When it came to sharp tongues, he was no match for Xiao Yuan.

Not to mention that the market was quite crowded, and seeing the conflict, the passersby couldn't help but cast curious glances their way.

After all, this was the eldest young master of the Jialie Family, a man notorious for his philandering and fickle nature, making him quite the celebrity in Wutan City—a reputation that stood neck-and-neck with Xiao Yan's fame as a "trash."

Being watched by so many people, Jialie Ao's expression was beyond description.

In a flash, fury surged into his heart, and he roared at Xiao Yuan:

"You brat, I want to duel you! If you're still a man, then face me in a match!"

As soon as these words left his mouth, the scene fell into an instant silence.

The Xiao Clan guards, who were hidden among the crowd to prevent any accidents, exchanged bewildered glances.

They had heard plenty of rumors about this Young Master Xiao Yuan recently; it was said that he had reached the realm of a Great Dou Shi at only fourteen and had even shaken a deacon of the Misty Cloud Sect with his raw strength.

And yet, Jialie Ao, who was twenty-one and merely a one-star Dou Zhe, was proposing a match against Xiao Yuan?

Had he lost his mind?

Even Xun'er looked at Jialie Ao as if he were an idiot, while Xiao Yuan simply burst into laughter, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke of his life.

"Not a chance, buddy. Do you even know what my cultivation level is?"

This isn't just leaving the house without a brain; this is having your entire head stuck in a woman's crotch.

Ding, congratulations on obtaining one Grade Three Spirit Awakening Pill.

It seemed the damn system agreed with him, too.