What Hu Xiaotian truly feared was that IOU. Not only had he written it out, he had even stamped it with his official seal. Looking back, he had acted without enough forethought, intent only on escaping his predicament and retrieving his luggage. Only now did he realize what a serious threat he had left hanging over himself. Ultimately, he had been careless. His days in Azure Cloud had been so carefree that he had actually forgotten his debt. He should have sent someone to repay the money and retrieve the IOU long ago.
Before Hu Xiaotian reached the door, he saw Xiangqin and her party coming in. His face wreathed in smiles, he said, "Sister Qin, what wind blew you our way?" Even as he spoke, his gaze slid toward the beauty behind her. His breath caught at once, her peerless looks leaving him utterly stunned. He was far from the only one affected. The entire hall fell silent in an instant, leaving only the sound of increasingly heavy breathing, punctuated now and then by someone swallowing.
Both women wore men's clothing, but while Murong Feiyan looked valiant and dashing in hers, the young woman before him looked all the more alluring. Her lovely eyes swept the hall, whether deliberately or casually. Almost every man thought, She looked at me! She's looking at me! That fleeting pause of her gaze upon his face sent each of them into raptures.
Hu Xiaotian realized that this young woman's beauty could topple kingdoms and ruin nations on a level that rivaled Le Yao's. Yet she possessed a composure Le Yao lacked. Her beautiful eyes held an aloof pride that seemed to look down upon everything. For a woman, beauty was capital enough for pride.
Hu Xiaotian chuckled. "Miss, I believe this is our