Leng Yaozhu

"Uncle Chu! Brother Yan!"

Chu Yan turned his head and saw Xu Xiaoyan nimbly weaving through several tables of guests, hurrying toward them.

She was wearing a little goose-yellow dress today, tied at the waist with a light green silk ribbon. Her light blue twin tails bounced gently with her movements, making her look bright and adorable.

A few steps behind her, Xu Xiaoyu followed at a leisurely pace, nodding to Chu Yan in greeting.

Xu Zonghan was a bit further away, exchanging pleasantries with several familiar heads of noble families. He merely glanced over, gave a slight nod, and continued his conversation.

"Xiaoyan." Chu Yan greeted her with a smile.

Xu Xiaoyan ran up to him, stood right beside him without ceremony, tilted her head to look him over, and crinkled her eyes. "Brother Yan, you're dressed so formally today! I almost didn't recognize you!"

"You too." Chu Yan reached out to gently brush back the stray hair that had been ruffled by her running. "Is this dress new?"

"Mm-hmm!" Xu Xiaoyan looked down to tug at her hem, spinning around proudly. "Mother had it sent over yesterday. She said since we're meeting important people today, I couldn't dress too casually. Do you think it looks good, Brother Yan?"

"It looks great." Chu Yan nodded.

Xu Xiaoyan smiled even more sweetly. She leaned in half a step and lowered her voice. "I saw so many people I didn't know over there just now, and they were all dressed so formally. There was a boy a few years older than me who stood next to his father with a stiff face the whole time, not moving an inch. I think he must be so tired."

Chu Yan was amused by her. "Everyone here is a younger generation from their respective families, so of course they have to put on their best behavior."

"Then are you tired, Brother Yan?" Xu Xiaoyan asked, tilting her head.

"Not at all." Chu Yan shook his head.

"That's good!" Xu Xiaoyan brightened up again. She reached out to tug at his sleeve. "Then can we sit together later? I saw some tables over there that are really close to the food."

"Sure." Chu Yan agreed readily.

Chu Yuntian and Xu Xiaoyu watched this scene from the side, exchanging a glance, and both tacitly chose not to disturb them.

Afterward, Chu Yuntian went off to chat with acquaintances, while Xu Xiaoyu stayed near Chu Yan and the girl.

At this moment, a middle-aged man wearing the silver-gray uniform of the Spirit Pagoda walked onto the stage at the front of the hall.

He had a dignified face and a composed demeanor. As he raised his hand, the chatter in the hall gradually died down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the East Sea Spirit Pagoda." The middle-aged man's voice, transmitted clearly throughout the hall via an Amplifying Soul Guidance Device, was gentle yet formal. "It is the honor of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda to have the families of East Sea City gathered here today. Now, please allow me, on behalf of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda branch, to introduce a distinguished guest who has traveled from afar."

He paused and bowed slightly toward the passage on the side of the stage.

"The Deputy Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, the Heavenly Spirit Pagoda, Her Excellency the Sky Phoenix Douluo—Leng Yaozhu."

The moment the words fell, the atmosphere in the hall visibly froze for an instant.

Immediately following, everyone's gaze shifted in unison toward the entrance of the passage.

It wasn't that the guests lacked composure; it was simply that the weight of that name was too heavy. A Limit Douluo, Deputy Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda, Four-Word Battle Armor Master, and Federal Vice Speaker—any one of these titles alone would be enough to make those present hold their breath, let alone having them all concentrated in a single person.

Chu Yan stood in the crowd, his gaze also cast toward the passage.

A faint sound of footsteps came from the entrance, and then a tall figure emerged.

The moment she stepped out, the light in the entire hall seemed to flicker slightly.

The aura she naturally exuded was like a raging fire wrapped in gentleness; the moment she stepped out of the passage, it silently blanketed the entire space.

The woman looked to be only about thirty years old. Her skin was fair and delicate, and her features were as exquisite as if carved by a master craftsman. Beneath willow-leaf brows were a pair of deep brown eyes.

She was tall and wore a simple yet luxurious dark red gown. The hem trailed on the floor without appearing heavy; as she walked, the skirt brushed against the ground like the tips of flames, leaving behind a faint warmth. Even without any soul power being released, everyone could feel a subtle heat radiating from her, like a warm breeze on a sunny day brushing against their skin.

Her long, deep red hair hung loosely behind her, the ends slightly curled, shimmering with a soft luster under the warm yellow soul guidance lights like flowing sunset.

She walked slowly to the center of the stage. No Soul Rings appeared beneath her feet, and she didn't deliberately release any aura, yet the entire hall became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Most of those present were heads of noble families and elites from East Sea City and the surrounding areas. Many had never seen a Limit Douluo in their entire lives, and seeing one in the flesh now, the awe surging in their hearts was more direct than any words could describe.

Chu Yan stood in the crowd, watching her quietly, without the nervousness or excitement shown by the other young people around him.

He observed her carefully, his gaze lingering on Leng Yaozhu's face and figure for a few moments.

In his previous life, while reading the original work, he had read descriptions of the Sky Phoenix Douluo's appearance and knew she was known as the "Greatest Beauty of the Spirit Pagoda." However, there was still a significant gap between written descriptions and seeing her in person.

With her standing right there, the overwhelming aura and vivid vitality were far beyond what a few lines of text could summarize.

Her beauty was not the aggressive, flamboyant kind; it was a composure ingrained in her bones. Between her brows lay the indifference of someone who had held a high position for a long time—serene on the surface, yet hiding a vast energy unimaginable to ordinary people beneath.

Chu Yan withdrew his gaze, his expression quickly returning to normal. She was indeed more beautiful and stunning than any "level ten" beauty he had seen in his past life.

He then noticed that Xu Xiaoyan beside him was also staring at the stage with wide eyes, her little mouth slightly agape, as if struggling to digest the invisible pressure radiating from the woman. Most of the other young people in the hall were much the same, either nervously holding their breath or looking on with eyes full of longing and admiration.

Leng Yaozhu stood still in the center of the stage, her gaze sweeping across the hall at a leisurely pace.

Her gaze was not sharp, but everyone felt their backs stiffen involuntarily when it swept over them.

"Everyone, please don't be so formal." Her voice rang out—not too soft, not too loud, yet exceptionally clear, audible to everyone present.

"I came to East Sea City this time not for official business, but simply because I was invited to take a look. Please, carry on as usual."

Her tone was gentle and easygoing, without the slightest air of a high-ranking official.

Yet, no one in the hall truly relaxed because of this ease. Every word spoken by a Limit Douluo carried inherent weight to those listening.

After saying this, Leng Yaozhu smiled and gave a slight nod as a greeting, then walked slowly off the stage toward the main seat reserved for her on one side of the hall.

Only after she moved did the air in the hall seem to flow again. The invisible pressure dissipated quite a bit, and the guests' conversations gradually resumed, though the volume was clearly lower than before. Many still frequently cast glances toward the main seat.

Leng Yaozhu took her seat at the head of the table, picked up the teacup handed to her by an attendant, and took a casual sip. Her expression was relaxed, showing no particular interest in the proceedings.

The several high-ranking officials of the Spirit Pagoda beside her kept up the conversation, but she only responded with the occasional remark, more out of polite social obligation than anything else.

Chu Yuntian walked over to Chu Yan at this moment and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "See that? That is Deputy Pagoda Master Leng."

"Mm," Chu Yan nodded.

"She seems quite easygoing today, so there shouldn't be any formal procedures to follow. You don't need to be nervous; just eat normally once the banquet begins."

Chu Yuntian patted his son on the shoulder and lowered his voice even further, continuing, "However, do not go out of your way to strike up a conversation. For someone of her status, people she doesn't know approaching her will only be met with annoyance."

"I understand, Father," Chu Yan replied.

He certainly understood this principle; Leng Yaozhu was a Deputy Pagoda Master of the Spirit Pagoda, and her status and position were set in stone.

Even if one were to behave perfectly, approaching her proactively would only categorize one as the type of person looking to climb the social ladder, and she had seen far too many such scenes.

The truly effective approach was to maintain a distance that was neither too close nor too far, neither deliberately approaching nor deliberately avoiding.

If she happened to notice him, she would naturally make a gesture; if she did not, then forcing the issue would be useless.