The Victory Banquet (2)

Lin Chen didn't reply, but lowered his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips, and gently patted Xiao Wu's leg, indicating that she didn't need to be nervous.

Xiao Wu's ears secretly flushed pink. She didn't say anything, just kept her head down and quietly ate her food.

Meanwhile, Xue Ke, with her big, watery eyes, had been curiously observing Lin Chen for quite some time.

She had grown up in the Heaven Dou Palace since childhood and had seen many geniuses, but this boy, who was about the same age as her, always had a composure that was inconsistent with his age, like the surface of a deep lake, where one could not see how deep the secrets were hidden.

She finally couldn't hold back any longer, leaning forward slightly, her voice soft as if afraid of disturbing something. "Um... Lin Chen, is your Chaos Domain Soul Skill really as powerful as everyone says? I heard from the guards that when you activate your domain, even the Soul Ancestor on the other side can't move."

Xue Ke's eyelashes curved, her eyes filled with a touch of innocent curiosity.

"It's all been exaggerated by others." Lin Chen smiled faintly, his tone calm. "It's just Control System Soul Skill, used to catch people off guard."

"That's no exaggeration!"

Xiao Wu suddenly chimed in, no longer feeling nervous. She clung to Lin Chen's arm, her eyes crinkling into crescents, her tone tinged with pride. "Brother Lin Chen's domain is amazing! Last time, that Lie Feng, a level 42 Soul Ancestor, was a beat slower as soon as he entered the domain, and was knocked down in just a few moves. And the Stone Armor Team's defense, curled up like a giant tortoise, was so suppressed they couldn't even breathe properly, and in the end, their shield shattered."

As she spoke, as if afraid Xue Ke wouldn't believe her, she added, "And also, I saw it all clearly from the side. The opponent couldn't even unleash their Soul Skill properly; they lost their momentum before they even made a move. Isn't that amazing?"

Xue Ke paused for a moment, then smiled, her gaze sweeping between the two of them, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Xiao Wu is amazing too. I heard you had a 25-game winning streak in solo matches, and your speed is so fast that even Agility Attack System can't keep up. Is that true?"

"Of course!" Xiao Wu raised her chin, her eyes crinkling with laughter, but when she caught Lin Chen raising an eyebrow at her, she quickly composed herself. "Ahem... but it's mainly because Brother Lin Chen taught me so well."

Lin Chen was slightly taken aback by her sudden change of topic. He lowered his eyes to hide the hint of a smile in them and did not reply.

During the meal, Xue Ke would occasionally strike up a conversation with Lin Chen, asking about his experiences in the Star Dou Great Forest, the interesting things that happened during his cultivation, and the most exciting matches he had ever fought on the Soul Fighting Battle Stage.

Xiao Wu always chimed in from the side, either eagerly praising Lin Chen's prowess or deftly changing the subject.

Lin Chen maintained a polite distance throughout, answering appropriately and thoughtfully, but not overly enthusiastically. He struck the perfect balance, neither embarrassing nor leaving any unnecessary room for maneuver.

Xue Beng sat opposite, swirling his wine glass, observing Lin Chen with interest, but didn't say much.

He stared at him for a long while, then suddenly spoke leisurely, his tone tinged with amusement. "Lin Chen, is it? I've heard your Martial Soul is quite special. The Chaos Pearl —that name doesn't sound like an ordinary object."

"Your Highness flatters me," Lin Chen said calmly. "All things are born from chaos and return to chaos. I am merely using the word 'chaos' to my advantage."

Xue Beng raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips, "Suppressing? I think you're more capable of suppressing this entire Soul Fighting Arena."

Dugu Bo sat to the side and gave a soft "humph," with a hint of protectiveness in his voice. "Your Highness, my disciple is shallow. You two princes and princesses shouldn't bully the young man."

"Oh, the old monster's still protecting his own." Prince Xue Xing laughed heartily, waving his hand. "Xue Beng, what are you saying? Let's drink. Tonight is a celebration for our Imperial Fighting Team's victory—"

Xue Beng shrugged, said nothing more, raised his wine glass and waved it at Lin Chen, then tilted his head back and drank it all.

After several rounds of drinks, the banquet gradually came to an end.

Prince Xue Xing put down his wine glass and tapped the table lightly with his fingertips.

The crisp sound wasn't loud, but it was like a silent command, and the entire room immediately fell silent, with all eyes focused on the main table.

"Tonight's banquet serves two purposes: first, to celebrate the Imperial Fighting Team's victory," his booming voice echoed throughout the banquet hall; "second—I hereby officially announce that the Imperial Fighting Team has directly secured its place in the main competition of the Heaven Dou Division of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament!"

A low gasp rippled through the audience. A direct pass to the main tournament meant skipping the brutal qualifiers and advancing directly to the national finals. This kind of preferential treatment was something most teams wouldn't even dare to dream of.

"All cultivation resources, soul-guided equipment, and travel supplies will be provided by the royal family." Prince Xue Xing's gaze swept over the seven people, his tone solemn. "You only need to focus on your cultivation and prepare for the battle with all your might. When you get to the main arena, bring back a championship for me and uphold the prestige of my Heaven Dou Empire!"

"As Your Highness commands!"

Qin Ming and the rest of the Imperial Fighting Team stood up in unison, bowed, and accepted the order. Their voices were clear and resonant, echoing throughout the banquet hall.

As everyone dispersed, Prince Xue Xing called out to Lin Chen.

"You stay here for a moment."

The banquet hall gradually emptied, and the light from the crystal chandelier fell upon the two of them. The waiters retreated into the distance, the music stopped, and the once noisy hall was now quiet.

Prince Xue Xing took something out of his sleeve and held it in his palm.

It was a palm-sized token, made entirely of mithril, shaped like a gracefully outstretched Swan wing, with a round, light blue star diamond embedded at the base of the wing, shimmering with iridescent light.

The front of the token is engraved with the four characters "Heaven Dou Royal Family" in vigorous strokes; the back is engraved with Lin Chen's name and unique number, and the edge is surrounded by a very faint Soul Power imprint, which is connected to the Martial Soul aura of Prince Xue Xing. It is a perfect match and cannot be forged at all.

"This is the Star Feather Token."

Prince Xue Xing handed over the token, saying, "Bearing my star mark and Swan Martial Soul as its seal, this is my personal certification, further endorsed by the academy. With this, the government offices in Heaven Dou City, the major Soul Master Academy, the Great Soul Arena, the auction house, and even the top merchants and restaurants will all treat you with special courtesy upon seeing this token."

He paused, then added, "He's considered a young pillar of the nation recognized by the royal family, which will make things easier for him in the future when he's working at Heaven Dou."

Lin Chen took the token; it was slightly cool to the touch, exquisitely crafted, and quite heavy.

He turned the token over; his name was engraved on the back—the strokes were deep and bold, as if it had been engraved long ago, just waiting to be handed to him this night.

The pale blue star diamond shimmered with a warm glow under the light, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation of Soul Power, resting quietly in his palm.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

"Do a good job." Prince Xue Xing patted him on the shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of expectation, "I have high hopes for you."

Lin Chen nodded slightly and put the Star Feather Token into his Chaos Space.

As he turned to walk towards the banquet hall entrance, he paused, glancing back at the head table.

Prince Xue Xing was raising his wine glass and whispering something to Dugu Bo, Dugu Bo was just slowly swirling the wine in his glass with a half-smile on his face.