"There are none left!"
Gu Wuchen answered without hesitation.
Only a few sets had been shipped over, and the rest still had to be sold. After giving two sets to Ye Yuan'er and Dugu Yan, he had no spares left for Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue really did come running the moment she caught a whiff. Whenever there was a new product, she rushed over without a moment to lose, afraid she might miss her chance.
"None left?"
Qian Renxue glanced at Ye Yuan'er. "She has one, so why don't I? We're business partners, aren't we?"
Gu Wuchen said, "You're different from Sister Yuan'er. She's responsible for assisting me. Your Highness is different-far too important for that."
"You?" Qian Renxue's teeth itched with anger. He was so handsome that she had liked him from the start, yet now he was saying things that made her want to beat him up. It was infuriating.
As the crown prince, she couldn't be too willful. She could only swallow her anger and turn to leave, seething with resentment.
Ye Yuan'er watched Xue Qinghe leave, utterly puzzled. "Young Master, why is the crown prince acting like a little woman who's been slighted? He just left without another word."
"Who knows?"
Wasn't she a young girl beneath her disguise?
What woman didn't love beauty? A set like this was bound to be popular with women, and Qian Renxue surely wanted one too, but there really were none left.
"Never mind him. We can pack up and return to Spirit Hall. We've stayed here quite a while, and your situation has to be reported to Spirit Hall sooner or later, Sister Yuan'er."
Ye Yuan'er nodded. "I'll leave everything to you, Young Master."
She put the set into her Storage Soul Tool, then reached out and picked Gu Wuchen up.
"Sister Yuan'er, I can walk on my own."
Ye Yuan'er smiled. "Let me carry you. You can rest for a while, Young Master. Besides, I've never carried you before, and I want to try. If I have a child one day, how wonderful it would be if the child were as cute as you."
Gu Wuchen's character, looks, and talent were beyond reproach, utterly flawless.
"Sister Yuan'er, you look a little lovestruck!"
Looking at Ye Yuan'er's silly smile as she daydreamed, Gu Wuchen couldn't help laughing.
"Do I?" Ye Yuan'er came to her senses and played dumb. "You must have seen wrong, Young Master. Let's hurry back!"
She wasn't about to admit it. That would be too embarrassing.
When they returned to the residence, four figures were standing outside the gate.
The man at their head wore a moon-white brocade robe and had a gentle, scholarly bearing. He held a jade-ribbed fan, which he waved in his hand. He was Ning Fengzhi, sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Two people stood beside him. One was hunched, but his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, and an elusive presence surrounded him. He was the Titled Douluo, Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
The other wore a plain robe and stood with his back straight, a faint, razor-sharp sword intent lingering around him. He was none other than Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
At the very front stood a little girl as exquisite as a carved doll, dressed in fine, elaborate clothes. She was the little princess, Ning Rongrong, and she was examining the courtyard gate with wide, curious eyes.
Ye Yuan'er was taken aback when she saw the visitors.
The people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had actually come here in person. Without even thinking, she knew they must have come to discuss a business partnership with the young master.
Gu Wuchen jumped from Ye Yuan'er's arms and landed steadily on the ground. He hurried to the gate and spoke with a smile:
"Sect Master Ning, what news have you heard this time to bring you all the way here in person?"
When Ning Fengzhi saw Gu Wuchen, a gentle smile appeared on his face. He nodded slightly and said:
"Young Master Gu, your Ice Lotus Wuchen Fragrance has caused a sensation throughout Heaven Dou City. With such a commotion, it would be hard for me not to hear about it."
They had stood outside for a while, thinking he was busy, only to discover he had actually gone out.
Ning Rongrong tugged at Ning Fengzhi's sleeve and murmured:
"Dad, is he the amazing young master of the Gu Clan you told me about? He's even prettier than me."
Gu Wuchen couldn't help smiling when he heard her. He stepped aside to clear the way. "Sect Master Ning, Senior Bone Douluo, Senior Sword Douluo, and Miss Rongrong, please come in."
The four followed Gu Wuchen into the residence. Chen Xin's gaze fell on Gu Wuchen, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He could sense a trace of pure, concentrated sword intent from this seven-year-old child, something no ordinary sword-path Soul Master could possess.
Gu Wuchen turned to Ye Yuan'er, who was following behind him, and instructed her, "Sister Yuan'er, please prepare some tea and snacks. Use the ice lotus tea our Gu Clan brought."
"All right. Please wait a moment, Young Master."
Ye Yuan'er answered and turned, striding quickly toward the kitchen.
The five sat down beneath a tree. Ning Fengzhi looked at Gu Wuchen and smiled. "I wonder when it will be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's turn to do business with you. Our sect knows best how to make money. If we sell more, you'll earn more too, Young Master Gu."
"Sect Master Ning, I know you're eager, but the Gu Clan's rules can't be changed. Your turn will come one month after a new product goes on sale. If we break the rules, it won't be good for anyone."
Gu Wuchen had made himself perfectly clear: the rules couldn't be changed. Though rules were rigid and people were flexible, changing a rule like this would affect the Gu Clan's reputation.
The other powers certainly wouldn't be willing to accept it.
As they spoke, Ye Yuan'er came over with five cups of ice lotus tea and set one in front of each of them.
"Sect Master Ning, everyone, please try it. This is the Gu Clan's ice lotus tea. It should taste quite good."
Gu Wuchen spoke.
Ning Fengzhi lifted his cup and tasted the tea. Once he swallowed, a gentle warmth slowly rippled through his body.
"This tea has a restorative effect?" Ning Fengzhi asked in surprise.
"The Gu Clan's tea certainly wouldn't be bad," Gu Wuchen said with a smile.
At that moment, Chen Xin, who had remained silent all this time, glanced again at Ye Yuan'er in the kitchen and asked, "Young Master Gu, is she from Spirit Hall?"
"That's right. Ye Yuan'er is a Platinum Bishop of Spirit Hall, though she should be promoted to elder when we return. Sister Yuan'er has become a Titled Douluo."
"A Titled Douluo?"
Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, and Chen Xin all froze, the teacups in their hands nearly falling.
Spirit Hall had gained another Titled Douluo, and she was actually willing to remain at Gu Wuchen's side?
"That's right. Ye Yuan'er was also personally instructed by the Great Enshrined to assist me."
"The Great Enshrined?" Ning Fengzhi was startled. "Could it be...?"
"The Great Enshrined took me as his disciple, so there's no need to be surprised, Sect Master Ning," Gu Wuchen said calmly.
The Great Enshrined!
Chen Xin sucked in a breath of cold air. Qian Daoliu, who stayed shut away in the Elder Hall year-round, had actually taken Gu Wuchen as his disciple in person?
That left only one possibility: Gu Wuchen must possess something extraordinary that far surpassed ordinary Soul Masters. Otherwise, Qian Daoliu couldn't have taken him as a disciple so readily.
Qian Daoliu was one of the three Peerless Douluo of the present age, the Six-Winged Angel reputed to be invincible in the skies.
"Young Master Gu, your Martial Soul is a sword, isn't it?" Chen Xin put down his teacup and asked.
He wasn't surprised that Chen Xin could tell. Soul Masters who also used sword Martial Souls were highly sensitive to sword Qi.
"That's right, it is a sword Martial Soul. You have a keen eye, Senior Chen Xin."
"May I see it?"
Chen Xin asked eagerly.
It had been a long time since a Soul Master capable of cultivating a sword Martial Soul to its peak had appeared on the continent.
He had little interest in those fellows from the Wind Sword Sect. Their use of the sword wasn't as pure as his own.