Leng Yaozhu

"Uncle Chu! Brother Yan!"

Chu Yan turned his head and saw Xu Xiaoyan deftly weaving between several tables of guests as she hurried toward them.

She had changed into a little goose-yellow dress today, with a pale green sash tied around her waist. Her light blue twin ponytails bounced gently as she ran, making her look bright and adorable.

A few steps behind her, Xu Xiaoyu followed at an unhurried pace and nodded to Chu Yan in greeting.

Xu Zonghan was a little farther away, chatting with several familiar clan leaders. He glanced over, gave a slight nod, then continued his conversation.

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

Xu Xiaoyan came right up and stood beside Chu Yan without the slightest hesitation. She tilted her head back to look him over, then smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "Brother Yan, you're dressed so formally today. I almost didn't recognize you!"

"So are you." Chu Yan reached out and gently brushed the stray hairs her run had tousled over her forehead. "Is this a new dress?"

"Mm!" Xu Xiaoyan looked down and tugged at the hem, then proudly twirled halfway around. "Mother had someone bring it over yesterday. She said we'd be meeting important people today, so I couldn't dress too casually. Brother Yan, do you think it looks nice?"

"It does." Chu Yan nodded.

Xu Xiaoyan's smile grew even sweeter. She edged half a step closer and lowered her voice. "I saw so many people I didn't know over there just now. They were all dressed so formally. There was this older boy, a few years older than me, standing beside his father with a stiff face. He didn't move a muscle. I think he must be so tired."

Chu Yan was amused by her. "Everyone who came today is a younger generation member from one of the clans, so naturally they want to make a good impression."

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

"I'm not." Chu Yan shook his head.

"Good!" Xu Xiaoyan perked up again and tugged at his sleeve. "Then can we sit together later? I saw a few tables over there that are really close to the food."

"Sure." Chu Yan agreed without hesitation.

Chu Yuntian and Xu Xiaoyu watched the scene and exchanged a glance. Neither of them said anything, choosing not to interrupt.

Chu Yuntian soon went off to find some acquaintances, while Xu Xiaoyu stayed near Chu Yan and Xu Xiaoyan.

Just then, a middle-aged man in the Spirit Pagoda's silver-gray uniform stepped onto the ceremonial platform at the front of the hall.

His features were composed, and his bearing steady. He raised a hand in greeting, and the conversations in the hall gradually quieted.

"Everyone, welcome to the East Sea Spirit Pagoda." The man's voice carried clearly throughout the hall through an Amplifying Soul Guidance Device. His tone was warm and formal. "It is the honor of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda to welcome the various clans of Eastsea City here today. Please allow me to introduce a distinguished guest who has traveled a long way to join us."

He paused, then turned toward the passage beside the platform and bowed slightly.

"The vice tower master of the Heavenly Spirit Pagoda at Spirit Pagoda Headquarters, Sky Phoenix Douluo—Her Excellency Leng Yaozhu."

The moment his words fell, the atmosphere in the hall visibly froze.

Then every gaze turned in unison toward the entrance to the passage.

It wasn't that the guests lacked composure. This name simply carried too much weight. A Limit Douluo, vice tower master of the Spirit Pagoda, Four-Word Battle Armor Master, and Federal Vice Speaker—any one of those titles alone was enough to make everyone present hold their breath, let alone all of them belonging to one person.

Standing among the crowd, Chu Yan also turned his gaze toward the passage.

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

The moment she appeared, it was as though the light in the entire hall wavered.

The aura she exuded naturally was like a blazing fire wrapped in gentleness. As soon as she stepped out of the passage, it silently spread across the entire space.

The woman looked to be around thirty. Her skin was fair and delicate, and her features were so exquisite they seemed carefully sculpted by a master artisan, stroke by stroke. Beneath her willow-leaf brows was a pair of deep brown eyes.

She was tall, dressed in a simple yet luxurious dark red gown. Its train trailed along the floor without seeming heavy. As she walked, the hem brushed the ground like the flickering tip of a flame, leaving behind a faint warmth. Though she released no Soul Power, everyone could feel a subtle heat surrounding her, like a warm breeze, sun-soaked, brushing over their skin.

Her long, deep red hair fell loosely down her back, its ends slightly curled. Under the warm yellow glow of the Soul Guidance Lamps, it shimmered softly like flowing sunset light.

She walked slowly to the center of the platform. No Soul Rings appeared beneath her feet, and she made no effort to release her aura, yet the entire hall fell silent, quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

Most of those present were clan leaders and family elites from Eastsea City and the surrounding areas. Many had gone their entire lives without seeing a Limit Douluo in person. Now that they were seeing one with their own eyes, the awe surging in their hearts spoke more plainly than any words could.

Chu Yan stood quietly among the crowd, watching her without showing the tension or excitement of the other young people around him.

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

In his previous life, he had read the original story's description of the Sky Phoenix Douluo's appearance and knew she was known as "the Spirit Pagoda's number-one beauty." But there was still a considerable difference between reading a description and seeing her in person.

The aura and vivid vitality she radiated in person could never be captured in a few lines of text.

Her beauty wasn't the kind that aggressively demanded attention. It was a composure ingrained in her very bones. There was a calmness in her eyes and brows that came from holding a high position for a long time. She seemed serene on the surface, yet beneath it lay a vast power beyond ordinary people's imagination.

Chu Yan drew back his gaze, his expression quickly returning to normal. She really was more beautiful than even the ten-out-of-ten beauties he had seen in his previous life.

Then he noticed Xu Xiaoyan standing beside him, eyes wide as she stared at the stage, her little mouth slightly agape. She seemed to be doing her best to absorb the invisible pressure radiating from the woman. Most of the other young people in the hall were much the same: some held their breath nervously, while others gazed up at her with longing and admiration.

Leng Yaozhu stood in the center of the platform and slowly swept her gaze across the hall.

Her gaze wasn't particularly sharp, but everyone it passed over instinctively straightened their backs.

"Everyone, there's no need to be so formal." Her voice rang out, neither loud nor soft, yet exceptionally clear. Every person present could hear her plainly.

"I'm here in Eastsea City without any official business. I was simply invited to come by and have a look around. Please carry on as usual."

Her tone was warm and easygoing, without a trace of a great figure's airs.

But no one in the hall truly relaxed just because she was so approachable. Every word spoken by a Limit Douluo naturally carried weight in their ears.

After saying this, Leng Yaozhu smiled and gave a slight nod in greeting. Then she walked down from the platform and headed toward the seat of honor reserved for her on one side of the hall.

Only after she left did the air in the hall seem to start flowing again. The invisible pressure eased, and the guests gradually resumed their conversations, though their voices were noticeably quieter than before. Many still kept glancing toward the seat of honor.

Leng Yaozhu took her seat, picked up the teacup a server brought her, and took a casual sip. She looked relaxed, showing no particular interest.

Several senior Spirit Pagoda officials around her chatted with her, but she only responded now and then, as if exchanging pleasantries out of courtesy.

Chu Yuntian came over to Chu Yan and spoke in a low voice that only the two of them could hear. "You saw her? That's Vice Tower Master Leng."

"Mm." Chu Yan nodded.

"She seems quite easygoing today. There probably won't be any formal proceedings, so there's no need to be nervous. Just eat normally once the banquet starts."

Chu Yuntian patted his son on the shoulder, then lowered his voice further and continued, "But don't go over and strike up a conversation with her. People of her standing don't take kindly to strangers going out of their way to approach them."

"I understand, Father." Chu Yan replied.

He understood the principle well enough. Leng Yaozhu was the vice tower master of the Spirit Pagoda. Her status spoke for itself.

Even if he approached her as tactfully as possible, he would still be lumped in with people trying to curry favor. She had seen far too many situations like that.

The truly effective approach was to keep a comfortable distance: neither deliberately drawing close nor deliberately avoiding her.

If she noticed him, she would naturally respond. If she didn't, there was no point in forcing it.