Xiao Clan Back Mountain.
"Teacher, what did you say? You want me to leave Wutan City and train elsewhere?"
"Little Yanzi, someone has their eye on us. I suspect people connected to my old enemies have found me. If we don't leave soon, we could be in serious trouble."
Yao Chen's soul form floated in the air as he spoke to Xiao Yan, his expression grave.
Clearly, Ling Feng's stunt had frightened Yao Chen somewhat. Having once faced life and death, he treasured his life all the more.
The Soul Hall, in particular, was Yao Chen's nightmare. He knew how terrifying it was and wanted nothing more than to leave this hotbed of trouble at once.
"Teacher, is the other party that powerful? Even you can't beat him?"
Xiao Yan looked straight at Yao Chen and asked, his expression grim.
"I don't know where he comes from either, but if he brings my enemies here, all I can do is run."
Yao Chen spoke somberly. Although he did not want to diminish his own prestige before his disciple, he felt he needed to make the stakes clear to Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan's heart sank upon hearing this. "But Teacher, he explicitly said he would target the Xiao Clan. If I leave, what will happen to my father, Xun'er, and the others? I can't abandon them to their fate just to save my own skin."
"Ah... you..."
Yao Chen let out a long sigh. Seeing Xiao Yan's troubled expression, he hesitated briefly before finally saying, "In that case, when soldiers come, we'll meet them with generals; when floods come, we'll dam them with earth. We'll stay for now. I'd also like to meet this master that fellow spoke of and see who he really is!"
"Thank you, Teacher."
Joy immediately lit up Xiao Yan's face. Yao Chen smiled back at him, but inwardly thought, With your little girlfriend here, she won't just stand by if trouble comes anyway. With the Gu Clan's help, even the Soul Hall will be nothing to fear.
Mittel Auction House, a private guest room.
"That rotten bastard! He said he'd give me an explanation afterward, and now he's nowhere to be found. If men could be trusted, sows could climb trees!"
Ya Fei stamped her foot, venting angrily. "You two had better not let me see you again, or I'll make you pay."
She had thought everything was under control, only for everything to turn out beyond her expectations, with no one she could hold accountable for the losses. She could only chalk today's incident up to bad luck, and it left her nursing a grudge against Wu Dan and his companion.
"Miss, don't get so worked up."
Seeing the normally elegant Ya Fei display such rare anger, Gu Ni could not help offering a word of comfort.
"Uncle Gu Ni, I just can't stomach it."
Ya Fei also realized she had lost her composure, and her cheeks flushed faintly with embarrassment.
"Miss, anger won't help. Whatever the case, this incident has affected our Mittel Auction House to some degree. You should settle this storm as soon as possible."
Gu Ni stroked his beard as he advised her. Ya Fei nodded in wholehearted agreement. "Uncle Gu Ni, you're right. I'll..."
Knock, knock.
A knock at the door interrupted Ya Fei and Gu Ni's conversation.
"Come in."
The door opened. Seeing one of the auction house's maids, Ya Fei asked, "What is it?"
"Miss, this gentleman specifically asked to see you."
The maid opened the door wide and stepped aside, allowing a young man to enter.
"It's you!"
Ya Fei seemed startled by the newcomer, her beautiful eyes widening.
Ling Feng secretly chuckled at her reaction, but put on a surprised expression himself. "It's you!"
"W-what are you doing here?"
Remembering what had happened by the lake outside Wutan City, Ya Fei's face rapidly turned red. Her usual composure vanished, and she could not even speak smoothly.
Gu Ni had never seen Ya Fei behave like this before. Although surprised, he could hardly ask questions with an outsider present. Besides, judging by their expressions, the two clearly knew each other.
Thus, Gu Ni tactfully refrained from saying anything more. He found an excuse and left with the maid.
"Miss, attend to your business. I'll take my leave."
The door closed again, leaving only Ling Feng and Ya Fei in the VIP Room.
What is this guy doing here? How am I supposed to face him? This is mortifying...
Alone with a man, Ya Fei grew even more flustered. Especially when she remembered that the young man before her had seen her completely naked, she felt so embarrassed that she wanted to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.
Still, Ya Fei was relatively mature. She forced herself to calm down and faced Ling Feng with feigned composure. "Y-you came here to see me. What do you need?"
Ling Feng plainly saw through her act. An urge to tease her arose within him, and he deliberately smiled. "What a coincidence. Wherever I go, I run into you, Miss Ya Fei. This must be a very special twist of fate."
Hearing those words, Ya Fei blushed even more deeply, and her ears turned an even brighter pink.
"Fate, my foot!"
Ya Fei was terribly embarrassed. She did not want to mention that humiliating incident at all, yet Ling Feng insisted on bringing it up, making her feel unbearably awkward.
But when she spotted Ling Feng's teasing expression, she understood and muttered inwardly in embarrassed indignation, This rotten guy is definitely doing it on purpose.
Ya Fei was no ordinary woman, and she quickly recovered. Forcing herself to remain composed, she faced Ling Feng and abruptly changed her tone. "What brings you to see your big sister, little brother? Don't tell me you have a secret crush on me and came here just to see me?"
As she spoke, Ya Fei brushed the fringe from her forehead and tucked it beside her ear. She gave Ling Feng a dazzling, seductive smile, taking back the initiative.
For a moment, Ya Fei's abrupt change caught Ling Feng off guard, and that glimpse of her allure left him briefly entranced.
Dressed in a red slit qipao, Ya Fei resembled a rose in full bloom. Combined with her exquisite face and uniquely seductive air, she could easily draw someone in before they knew it.
Even Ling Feng could not help staring for a moment. After all, he was a red-blooded man who had browsed three thousand adult actresses and feasted his eyes on all sorts of girl groups on Douyin. He had a certain immunity to beautiful women, yet even he could not help losing himself before Ya Fei.
That alone showed how truly lethal Ya Fei's charm was.
However, Ling Feng quickly recovered, which surprised Ya Fei somewhat and prompted her to study him seriously.
He had a lean figure and stood a little taller than Ya Fei. With long black hair and sharply defined features, he was undeniably handsome-even a few degrees more handsome than Wu Yanzu.
He's actually quite good-looking...
Whether because she had been stealing glances at him or for some other reason, Ya Fei's rosy face became even more alluring at that moment.
Meanwhile, Ling Feng's eyes shifted, and he replied with a broad grin, "That's right. You're so enchanting and lovely, Miss Ya Fei. Any man would have his heart stirred."
Ling Feng's answer surprised Ya Fei again. Most men who approached her would deliberately put on an act, but Ling Feng admitted it outright. His refusal to follow the usual script astonished her somewhat and made her see him in a different light.
"Hehe... what a sweet tongue you have. I imagine you've charmed quite a few girls with it."
Ya Fei covered her mouth and chuckled. "But this big sister isn't so easily sweet-talked."
As she spoke, Ya Fei cast him an electrifying glance through her sultry eyes. Yet in response to her teasing, Ling Feng suddenly became deeply affectionate. He gazed at her with burning eyes. "Of the three thousand waters, I would drink but one ladle. There is a beauty whom, once seen, I cannot forget. A single day without seeing her, and longing drives me mad."
Ling Feng spoke as he approached Ya Fei. Faced with his burning gaze and unabashedly passionate declaration, her heart inexplicably began to race. Her face rapidly grew hotter, and her feet involuntarily carried her backward.
"Y-you... stay back... Ah!!"