Each Harboring Their Own Schemes

The group of five sat in chairs around the long table, with Ning Fengzhi in the center and Qian Renxue, Sword Douluo, and the others seated on either side.

For some reason, the seating arrangement made Ning Fengzhi feel a chill down his spine, as if nails were about to sprout from his palms.

Qian Renxue looked across the table, her gaze fixed steadily on Sword Douluo, making him feel rather uncomfortable.

"Guest, let's stop staring at each other and just eat."

Ning Fengzhi offered an awkward smile, breaking the cold silence.

Seeing this, Qian Renxue reached for her chopsticks, but suddenly remembered Qian Daoliu's warning: when a guest in someone else's home, one must wait for the host to start eating first.

She set her chopsticks down and said to Ning Fengzhi, "Sect Master Ning, please go ahead."

Thump-thump!

Ning Fengzhi's heart hammered against his ribs. He realized his suspicions were correct; Qian Renxue was not as simple as she appeared.

Asking him to eat first was clearly a test to see if the food was poisoned! Such a tactical mind was beyond even the most cunning old fox.

Ning Fengzhi swallowed hard, his hand trembling as he picked up a piece of food and slowly placed it into his mouth.

"Haha, everyone, please, eat, eat!"

Thump-thump!

Ning Fengzhi's actions made Chen Qi's heart skip two beats.

One had to admit, this old fox's strategy was brilliant. Judging by the way his hand shook while picking up the food, it was ten to one that the meal was poisoned.

Otherwise, his hand wouldn't be shaking like that. He must be planning to poison Qian Renxue and then use the antidote as a bargaining chip to extract the benefits they wanted. What a devious scheme!

He looked at Qian Renxue, praying she wouldn't pick up any food, or she would fall right into Ning Fengzhi's trap.

Qian Renxue held her chopsticks, just about to take a bite, when she suddenly felt an irresistible force in her abdomen.

She remembered eating too much of everything last night; she must have upset her stomach.

Clatter!

The chopsticks slipped from Qian Renxue's hand. Seeing this, Chen Qi breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but give her a thumbs-up. It seemed she had also seen through the problem with the food.

Seeing this, Ning Fengzhi's heart jumped into his throat. Her attitude suggested she didn't want to eat.

What did this mean?

It meant the other party had no intention of negotiating!

Perhaps Qian Renxue had known everything from the start. She hadn't brought guards not out of arrogance, but because a far more terrifying powerhouse was following in the shadows.

Putting down the chopsticks confirmed it all; Qian Renxue was truly terrifying.

Qian Renxue clutched her stomach, smiled awkwardly, and looked up. "Um, could I please use the restroom?"

Boom!

Chen Qi and Ning Fengzhi were both shocked. What did this mean?

It meant she was making her exit!

Chen Qi even wondered if Qian Renxue had read about the Feast at Hong Gate, as her method of leaving was exactly the same as Liu Bang's.

Ning Fengzhi felt his heart rise to his throat. Had he been a poor host?

If she left now, she would surely speak ill of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

If he didn't let her leave, the powerhouse behind her would surely raze the sect to the ground. To prevent this, he had to keep Qian Renxue happy!

"Uncle Sword, please, show us your swordplay."

Chen Xin was puzzled as to why Ning Fengzhi would ask for this, but he nodded, drew the Seven Kill Sword, and stood up.

Ning Fengzhi looked at the distressed Qian Renxue and said, "Miss Qian, please enjoy a sword dance performance by our Sect Protecting Douluo, Sword Douluo."

Hearing this, Qian Renxue felt like crying. Ning Fengzhi was clearly determined to humiliate her. If she had known, she would have listened and never come to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Seeing Chen Xin stand up to dance with his sword, Chen Qi's pupils constricted sharply.

What was he doing!

Was he really going to stage a Feast at Hong Gate, using the sword dance as an excuse to kill Qian Renxue?

Ning Fengzhi was truly ruthless; he would do anything for profit. If Qian Renxue didn't leave now, she might never get the chance.

"Sect Master Ning, our Young Mistress said she needs to use the restroom. We'll be taking our leave."

With that, he moved to pull Qian Renxue away.

Seeing Chen Qi's move, Qian Renxue felt as if she had seen the light of dawn and silently praised him.

If she didn't leave now, she, Qian Renxue, would suffer a public disaster.

Seeing Qian Renxue about to leave, Ning Fengzhi hurriedly grabbed her arm and spoke.

"Please, wait a moment. Uncle Sword's swordsmanship is truly formidable; it will surely be an eye-opening experience for you."

Chen Qi was having none of that.

What did he mean by "eye-opening"? It sounded more like he was about to have his skull cracked open. If they stayed any longer, Qian Renxue wouldn't be able to leave at all.

He gave her a sharp tug, causing Qian Renxue's stomach to lurch violently; she was on the verge of a total flood.

"The Young Master needs to use the restroom. What if she wets her pants?"

Qian Renxue clutched her stomach and nodded in firm agreement. If they stayed any longer, wetting her pants would be the least of her worries.

When Ning Fengzhi heard this, he interpreted a different meaning. Wasn't "wetting her pants" a warning directed at him?

It was a warning that once they left, he would turn the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into a river of blood. This was a disaster!

He gave a sharp tug of his own, pulling Qian Renxue back toward his side. Her stomach lurched again, and the situation was already at the breaking point.

"That must never happen! Miss Qian, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has done nothing wicked or immoral. I beg you to be magnanimous."

Chen Qi yanked her back, retorting, "Are you saying you want to do something wicked and immoral? The Young Master needs to use the restroom; stop blocking her!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Absolutely yes!"

"Absolutely not!"

The two of them began a tug-of-war with Qian Renxue as the rope, neither willing to yield.

They were both fighting for their lives.

Tossed back and forth between the two, Qian Renxue finally lost control, and a pungent, foul odor began to emanate from her.

Chen Qi and Ning Fengzhi froze in place, both stopping their hands at the same time. They looked at each other, completely at a loss.

So, after all that, she really did need to use the restroom.

Qian Renxue's face turned bright red as she glared fiercely at the two culprits, so frustrated that she began to cry.

The moon hung high in the sky as Qian Renxue emerged from the room after changing her clothes. She stared at the two people who had caused her to soil herself, her teeth gritted in fury.

"Hmph!"

A layer of cold sweat seeped out from Ning Fengzhi's back. If the terrifying powerhouses behind Qian Renxue found out he had caused her to soil herself, his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would be finished.

Chen Qi swallowed hard, silently praying that her favorability wouldn't drop. He had worked so hard to raise it to over six hundred; losing even a little would break his heart for a long time.

"You two have made me very angry! I told you I needed to use the restroom, yet you insisted on blocking me. Tell me, how do you intend to resolve this!"

Chen Qi nodded upon hearing this and immediately chimed in.

"Exactly, exactly! Sect Master Ning, how do you intend to resolve the Young Master's grievance?!"

Now, all the pressure was directed at Ning Fengzhi, and he felt the weight of it crushing down on him.

Chen Xin and Gu Rong stepped in front of Ning Fengzhi. They had to protect their Sect Master; otherwise, what was the point of having Sect Protecting Douluos?

"Audacious! To dare threaten the Sect Master like this—do you not realize whose territory you are on!"