Conflict, Sharp-Tongued Na'er

News of the Skysea Alliance Grand Tournament was like a massive boulder cast into a still lake, stirring up waves across the entire continent.

As the grand event held by the Skysea Alliance once every five years, it gathered every academy and sect of note within the alliance's territory. It was one of the highest stages for young soul masters to make their names.

This year's tournament was even more special—the organizers had specifically added exhibition matches, inviting representatives from the continent's top academies to spar and exchange pointers. It was both a display of strength and an opportunity for the various factions to test one another.

Before leaving Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, a Federation special commissioner had met with him once. Li Chen still remembered every word clearly—"You are being sent to Eastsea Academy to avoid a direct conflict. Remember, you represent the Federation's honor."

The Federation's honor.

Li Chen silently repeated those four words, the corner of his lips unconsciously curving into an ambiguous smile.

He knew very well why the Federation had chosen the three of them.

Gu Yue and Na'er's strength went without saying. The Silver Dragon King and the Golden Dragon King—those two names alone were synonymous with power.

As for himself, his mid-stage Spirit Sea cultivation and unique soul skills placed him among the best of his peers.

More importantly, none of the three of them belonged to Shrek, yet they possessed the strength to contend with Shrek. Using outsiders to keep outsiders in check—Li Chen had seen that tactic far too often.

Traveling from Eastsea City to Skysea City by carriage took roughly half a day.

By the time the three arrived in Skysea City, it was already afternoon. The sun blazed overhead, and the towering city walls wavered slightly in the heat haze.

As the core city of the Skysea Alliance, Skysea City was far larger than Eastsea City. Its walls alone were divided into three layers, inner and outer, with the outermost rising more than thirty meters high. They were built entirely from bluish-gray granite. Every hundred paces along the walls stood a Soul Guidance watchtower, the crystals atop them glimmering with an eerie blue light beneath the sun.

Among them, the Sky Sea Grand Martial Arena was the city's most magnificent structure. It occupied an immense area, and its main arena could hold thirty thousand spectators at once.

The registration point for the exhibition matches was in a side hall on the eastern side of the arena. By the time they arrived, quite a few people were already lined up inside.

Representatives from various academies were handling their paperwork. Young soul masters in uniforms of every color moved back and forth, and the atmosphere was both tense and lively.

"Eastsea Academy—in Zone Seven, third row." The official in charge of registration flipped through the roster and handed over three forms without looking up. "Fill these out, then get them stamped next door. Remember, the exhibition matches are seven-person team battles. Your academy is still four people short, so make up the numbers as soon as possible."

"Eastsea Academy is only sending the three of us," Li Chen said calmly as he took the forms. "There is no need to fill all seven spots."

Only then did the official look up. He adjusted his glasses and sized up the three of them from head to toe. His expression plainly said, "A second-rate academy can't even gather five people, yet you're acting so self-righteous," but he ultimately said nothing. He merely waved them off to get their forms stamped.

After all, it was not unheard of for academies to withdraw from past tournaments due to insufficient numbers. One more or one fewer made little difference to the organizers.

By the time they finished the procedures and left the side hall, dusk was approaching.

The setting sun dyed all of Skysea City a warm orange-red, while the Soul Guidance Streetlights along both sides of the streets lit up one after another, casting soft white light.

Pedestrians still flowed endlessly through the streets. Vendors' cries, carriage wheels, and children's laughter intertwined, forming a vivid scene of everyday city life.

"The serious business is done," Na'er said, stretching lazily before turning to look at the other two, her eyes sparkling. "So shouldn't we go experience Skysea City's 'local customs' now?"

One look at her expression told Li Chen exactly what she was thinking.

Before coming here, Na'er had specifically asked around and learned that Skysea City had three specialties—seafood, night markets, and grilled fish.

Of the three, grilled fish was the most famous.

Skysea City sat by the sea, so its catch was always fresh. The locals had invented a unique method of grilling fish: splitting an entire sea fish open and flattening it, brushing it with a secret sauce, then slowly roasting it over charcoal. Once the skin turned crisp and the flesh tender, they sprinkled it with special seasonings. Supposedly, its fragrance could be smelled from half a street away.

"Let's go." Li Chen did not expose her little scheme.

Na'er gave a cheer, grabbed Gu Yue's hand, and pulled her toward the street.

Gu Yue allowed herself to be dragged along, though her steps remained unhurried. She looked back at Li Chen, her gaze carrying a helpless smile and a hint of indulgence.

Skysea City's night market was even livelier than it was during the day. Stalls lined both sides of the street, selling everything—handcrafted Soul Guidance components, exotic spices brought from overseas, ornaments made from shells and conches, freshly grilled seafood skewers... Na'er stopped to look and touch something at nearly every stall. Before they had even walked half a street, she had already acquired three things: a shell bracelet, a bag of seaweed crisps, and a strangely shaped sea beast ornament made of some unknown material.

"This one looks good!" Na'er clipped a blue shell hairpin into Gu Yue's hair, stepped back two paces to inspect her, then nodded in satisfaction. "Just as I thought, Sister Gu Yue looks good in anything."

Gu Yue lifted a hand and lightly touched the hairpin in her hair, but did not take it off.

She picked up a dark-blue hair ribbon from the neighboring stall. It appeared to be woven from some kind of sea silkworm silk, cool and smooth to the touch. Turning around, she held it out to Li Chen.

"This is for you."

Li Chen accepted it, slightly startled.

The ribbon was almost exactly the same color as the clothes he was wearing that day, both a deep blue like the sea. He fell silent for a moment, then tied the ribbon around his wrist and calmly said, "Thanks."

Gu Yue's lips curved slightly.

Na'er watched the scene from the side, her eyes rolling as she leaned close to Li Chen's ear and lowered her voice. "Gu Yue gave that to you, so you are not allowed to lose it."

"...I know."

The three wandered as they walked, and before they knew it, night had fully fallen.

Skysea City's night market had entered its busiest hours. Multicolored lights illuminated the streets as brightly as day, while the air was filled with the scents of all kinds of food—the charred aroma of grilled seafood, the rich smell of fried snacks, the sweetness of desserts—all mingling into a fragrance that made it impossible to keep walking.

"I'm hungry." Na'er suddenly stopped, her expression serious.

Li Chen looked around, his gaze settling on a fork at the end of the street.

That side path led into a relatively quiet alley. A dim yellow lantern hung at the entrance, beneath which stood a small stall. Three or five low tables were arranged before it, each holding coarse ceramic bowls and bamboo chopsticks.

The stall owner was an old man in his fifties. He was crouched beside a charcoal stove, turning the grilled fish over the flames. The glow of the coals painted his entire face red.

The aroma of grilled fish drifted from there. It lacked the pungent smell of artificial seasonings, containing only the fish's natural freshness mingled with the distinct charred fragrance of charcoal—rich and pure.

"Over there." Li Chen pointed toward the alley entrance.

The three entered the alley and sat down at a low table against the wall.

The old stall owner glanced at them, then grinned, revealing teeth yellowed by smoke. "You three came at just the right time. Three fish left. Once they're sold, I'm closing up."

"We'll take them all," Li Chen said.

The old man answered and deftly began preparing them.

He split three palm-sized sea fish open, removed the bones, laid them flat on an iron grill, brushed them with a layer of amber-colored sauce, and placed them over the charcoal.

The coals licked at the fish, producing soft sizzling sounds. Under the intense heat, the skins rapidly shrank and curled, changing from silvery white to golden, then from golden to a charred brown.

Every so often, the old man turned the grill. His movements were so light that it was as though he were handling a precious work of art.

"How long have you run this stall?" Gu Yue suddenly asked.

The old man's hands did not stop moving, and there was a touch of pride in his voice. "Twenty-three years. My father passed it down to me. The old man himself ran it for forty years. This alley only—never changed locations."

"No wonder." Gu Yue nodded faintly, a trace of approval flashing through her amethyst-like eyes. As the Silver Dragon King who had lived for an unknown number of years, she had a particular sensitivity toward time.

To remain in the same alley for decades, unmoved even as the world outside turned upside down—this quiet persistence felt strangely familiar to her.

When the grilled fish was served, Na'er's eyes went wide.

The grilled fish lay on long, coarse ceramic plates. Their skins were crisp and golden, their flesh white and firm. The sauce had thickened and gleamed under the heat, coating the surface of the fish evenly.

The old man sprinkled a handful of finely chopped green scallions over them. The red and green colors contrasted beautifully.

Three small dishes beside them held three different dipping sauces—garlic sauce, pepper salt, and a sweet-and-sour sauce made from a local sour fruit.

"Eat it while it's hot. It won't stay crispy once it cools," the old man reminded them before turning back to clean up the stove.

Na'er picked up her chopsticks, took a large piece of fish, dipped it in pepper salt, and put it in her mouth. Her expression visibly lit up.

"Delicious!" she said indistinctly, already picking up another bite. "The skin is so crispy, and the meat isn't fishy at all. It's even a little sweet—Li Chen, try some!"

Li Chen picked up a small piece and chewed slowly. It really was good.

The sauce was perfectly balanced. It did not overwhelm the fish's natural freshness, yet gave it richer layers of flavor.

The charcoal grilling had been handled with extraordinary precision. The skin was crisp without being burnt, while the flesh was tender without being undercooked.

Gu Yue also took a piece. After tasting it carefully, she nodded slightly. "Not bad."

As the three ate, a series of heavy footsteps suddenly sounded from the alley entrance.

The steps struck the bluestone pavement, each one carrying solid weight.

Li Chen looked up and saw a round, rotund figure walk into the alley.

The man wore Shrek Academy's uniform, with the badge of an Inner Court disciple pinned at his collar. An honest, simple smile hung on his round face.

He walked up to the stall, looked at the old man who was cleaning the stove, and his eyes immediately brightened.

"Boss, do you still have any fish?"

"Sorry, the last three were ordered by that table." The old man pointed at Li Chen and the others.

The round-faced soul master turned around and saw the grilled fish on their plates. The smile on his face instantly collapsed, replaced by exaggerated sorrow. He looked as though he were about to cry.

"How could this happen... I followed the smell all the way here from so far away..."

Li Chen recognized him—Xu Lizhi, an Inner Court disciple of Shrek Academy. He was a food-type soul master, and his martial soul was some special existence capable of producing restorative foods.

His strength was not weak, but his personality was exceptionally simple, and he had absolutely no resistance to delicious food. Even within Shrek, he was famous as a foodie.

The Federation had gathered this information and handed it to Li Chen long before the exhibition matches began.